Malevolence's Waltz
by SkarredMory
Summary: Vivi had a bad feeling when, against his morals, he created his first son. But who knew that this wasn't just a feeling and was more of a warning? I suck at summaries, just R
1. Visitation

Disclaimer: I no own, you no sue.  
  
/*/**/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/ Malovolence's Waltz Chapter 1: Visitation  
  
/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/ Author's Note: Aloha all.OKay, I've started over on a new account. A new rep and a clean sheet (ignoring the ink blots ^_^).  
  
Okay, this story takes place approximately five years after the events of the game. So, Zidane and Garnet are 21, Vivi is 13 and Eiko is 11, so yippee. Spoilers ahead, so drive slowly. I'm ignoring the fact that in the end of the game, Vivi has six sons. I'm making him have one son, who will make his entrance by the next chapter. It's going to be fun, I actually have this entire story plotted out, so there shouldn't be any awkward lack of updates. Probably once every week, so please don't get angry. Okay, I'll stop talking now.  
  
~NeoNaoNeo  
  
/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/ "Zidane, I don't think this was such a good idea." Garnet said reproachfully, laying her hands on a very round stomach, the throne's heir resting in her womb. Zidane handed over control of the rickety airship to Steiner and walked across the deck, his boots causing the floor boards to shift and creak loudly.  
  
"What's wrong?' Zidane asked sincerely, coming behind Garnet and resting a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"I just don't think it's a wise idea for me to be travelling this close to the due date, besides I..." her sentence was interupted by Zidane's lips. He drew away and placed a gloved finger on her mouth.  
  
"Shhh...you worry too much Dagger." Zidane whispered, using the pet name she had gotten on their journey. "You're not due for another week, relax. Besides, stress isn't good for the baby."  
  
Garnet sighed and sweetly returned Zidane's kiss, quietly and innocently. She walked around her husband and peered over the edge of the airship, watching the ocean speed on below. The warm, salty wind whipped her hair around her face, drawing it out of the tight ponytail it was constrained in most of the time. The sun was tried its hardest to warm the world below, but its efforts were triffled by a number of heavy and depressing rain clouds, slowly making their way across the sky. The birds, depressed by the lack of thermals, labored to take part in the art of flying, their wings beating the warm, but dead, air.  
  
Zidane sighed and hooked his arms around Garnet's waist and began planting several kisses along the girl's delicate neck. He noticed she still looked upset. "Come on Garnet." he pleaded, reverting back to using her real name, "I know you've been itching to see Eiko and visit Madain Sari. PLus, I've wanted to see how Mikoto was holding out, *kiss* and Vivi wanted to see how everyone in the Black Mage Village was."  
  
"I know... but why couldn't it have waited?" Garnet said stubbornly. "I'm not feeling very well."  
  
"You'll feel better soon. I'm sure of it." Zidane shrugged. He noticed the offended look on Dagger's face and chuckled sheepishly. "Have you seen Vivi or Eiko?"  
  
"Not lately." she huffed and leaned against the banister of the airship deck. "I'd check down below if I were you."  
  
"Alright. Be right back," he said and gave Garnet a peck on the cheek. He silently added, "My canary."  
  
She giggled and waved as he began walking toward the stairwell that led below the deck. He looked about the dark and dingy storeroom that was located beneath the deck. "Eiko? Vivi? You two down there?"  
  
Eiko bounded up to Zidane, looking slightly aggitated. "Yeah, we're here. Can I go up on deck now?" she asked. "I'm tired of being stuck down here with that baby!"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
Eiko gave an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes. "I mean Vivi's being a little wuss and won't come up on deck, but he doesn't want me to leave him alone down here."  
  
"Go ahead Eiko, I'll keep the little guy company." he said, ruffling Eiko's hair as she ran past him on the steps. He took another look around the dank store room and noticed the small mage sitting on top of a crate, his legs drawn up close to him.  
  
"Hey there Vivi." Zidane said as he stepped gently down the steps. Vivi snapped to attention.  
  
"Hi Zidane," he replied, looking to Zidane.  
  
"What's wrong?" Zidane asked, pulling up a crate.  
  
"It's just that," Vivi started, "I've felt so lonely after we went our seperate ways."  
  
"You know you can visit us anytime you want to." Zidane said and gave Vivi a small pat on the shoulder.  
  
"But that's the depressing part." Vivi sighed. "Because I know when I get home, I'm going to be all alone again. It's just really sad. No one's snoring or shifting in their bed or getting up... I'm sorry, I must sound really confusing right now..."  
  
"Nah, it's not you that's talking." Zidane chuckled and leaned back on the crate. Vivi gave him a perplexed look. "It's the hormones, trust me. The teenage years ain't nothin' but depression, mood swings and sex drives."  
  
Vivi couldn't help but laugh at this over-simplified synopsis of his years to come. "I can't say I know what that's like. I'm sure you'll find a solution to your problem. You always do." Zidane finished, trying to offer some comfort.  
  
"Thanks." Vivi said.  
  
The airship jerked suddenly, throwing Vivi and Zidane from their seats. The steam engine whined slightly and continued laboring away. Vivi stood up, pulled a small shard of glass from his arm and covered the wound area with his hand. He looked about and noticed how the ground was littered with the broken glass pieces of a window pane and burnt splinters of wood from a shattered window right above him. Even the frame was knocked out, which occured as curious to the mage. He shook himself from a medley of questions and looked up to Zidane.  
  
"What happned?"  
  
"I think we stopped." Zidane said and pulled a crate up to the wall and looked out the window. "Hey, we're at the Black Mage Village."  
  
"I can't wait to see everyone!" Vivi exclaimed as he bounded off toward the exit. Zidane scratched the back of his head, shrugged and looked up when he heard the door leading up to the deck creak open. Garnet slowly made her way down the steps, Eiko coming in second and Steiner leading up the rear. When Garnet finally got off the last step, Eiko ran around her and chased after Vivi through the exit. Garnet smiled at Zidane and took his hand. Steiner went ahead of the two and held open the door. */*/*/*/*/*/*/*/  
  
Vivi walked through the woods leading to the hidden village, humming happily. Sunlight filtered dimly through the leaves, lighting the dark path of the woods.  
  
"Wait up!" Eiko shouted as she ran down the path, panting. Vivi stopped and turned around nonchalantly. "Why couldn't you wait for us?"  
  
Vivi adjusted his hat shyly. "Sorry, I just wanted to see everyone."  
  
"Hmph," Eiko grunted, turning around and crossed her arms. "Zidane wants to see his friends too, but you don't see him running ahead without us."  
  
"I said I was sorry." Vivi said and looked down at the ground.  
  
"Well, okay." Eiko huffed. "But next time you had better wait for us. You know how many monsters there are around here."  
  
Vivi nodded as Zidane, Garnet and Steiner walked up. "Hey, why didn't you two love birds wait up?" was Zidane's first comment.  
  
Eiko and Vivi both turned red, although for Eiko, it was impossible to tell if her blushing was from anger or embarassment. "What's that supposed to mean!?" she shot back, putting her hands on her hips, Eiko's usual defensive stance.  
  
"Calm down Eiko," Zidane said. "I didn't mean anything by it, honest."  
  
Eiko didn't reply as she began walking toward the hidden village, her nose turned up in the air. Zidane shrugged, shook his head and turned to Vivi. "I don't get what you see in her."  
  
Vivi froze up and turned to Zidane. "I-I don't like her l-like her!" Vivi asserted, the tint of red very evident on his blank face. "We're j-just friends."  
  
"I thought you were over your stuttering problem." Zidane said with a grin.  
  
"Leave him alone Zidane." Garnet said, rolling her eyes. "You can be so immature."  
  
Zidane turned around and began talking to Garnet. The black mage sighed and began walking again toward the clearing where the village was located.  
  
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/  
  
He looked up to the sky above the village, the weather taking a turn for the worse as clouds continued gathering in the sky, grey and heavy with rain. Vivi shivered and looked around the village. It seemed so empty and desolate, a few genomes were out, but there wasn't a black mage in sight. He began walking toward the cemetery, noticing Mr. 288 wasn't at his usual post at the entrance. The size of the cemetery and number of headstones had increased drastically since he last visited, about two years ago. He shook his head in disbelief. Mr. 49, Mr.756, Mr. 23, Mr. 889....the list went on and on. He was relieved when he didn't see Mr. 288's name on a headstone, but curiousity still gripped him. "What had caused so many deaths in such a short period of time? His thoughts were interupted by a soft and polite voice.  
  
"What brings you here Vivi?" Mr. 288 asked. Vivi jumped at the sound of his voice.  
  
"Just visiting to see how everyone was." he replied. Vivi remembered his question and gave the cemetery another glance. "What happened?"  
  
"Time," Mr. 288 said in a sorrowful tone.  
  
"They all just stopped?" Vivi asked, feeling sick and confused. Mr. 288 gave a short nervous chuckle at his unconscious use of the word 'stopped'.  
  
"I'm afraid so." he said. He quickly changed the subject. "I'm glad to see you again before I joined them."  
  
"Don't talk like that!" Vivi snapped.  
  
"I have a favor to ask of you." Mr. 288 uttered, looking at the ground as he wryed his sleeves nervously.  
  
"What?" Vivi sniffled. (awwww....)  
  
"You remember how black mages are created?"  
  
Vivi arched an eyebrow. "Yes."  
  
"Well, I am somewhat ashamed we had to resort to this, but....our numbers are dwindling quickly." Mr. 288 sighed, still looking at the ground. Vivi had never seen Mr. 288 act this way. "We've found a way to..." He fumbled to find the right words. "To reproduce." he finally blurted out, filling up an awkward silence with an even more awkward content. "It's similar to the technique that was used at the mill in Dali, but it's nearly impossible to do without someone with very powerful black magic."  
  
Mr. 288 began walking out of the cemetery, leaving Vivi speechless. He followed Mr. 288 as he left. The elder mage continued walking, wordlessly. "Mr. 288?" Vivi asked, but got no response. He continued following Mr.288, even after he walked into the friendly atmosphere of the Black Cat Synthesis shop, a type B mage sweeping up the floor. He looked up to Vivi.  
  
"Vivi! You came to visit!" Mr. 734 greeted and looked to Mr 288. "Didn't you have something to give him?"  
  
"Yes," Mr. 288 said and walked behind the counter. "Come here Vivi." The small mage complied. Mr. 288 then pulled an egg from behind the counter and held it up so Vivi could have a decent look at it. The shell looked as though it was stitched together from pastel pink and creamy white leather, the seams clear, obvious and ragged. Vivi stumbled to find words that expressed his disbelief. "I-is that...?" was all he could manage.  
  
"Yes, it's a mist egg." Mr. 288 answered. It was much smaller than the ones Vivi saw at Dali, when he first discovered his orgin. He looked to Mr. 288, still confused. "We were able to make three of them from the remaining Mist at the Iifa Tree. This is the last one."  
  
"What do you mean 'last one'?" Vivi was finally able to force out.  
  
"The first egg was, unfortunately, a failed experiment." he replied gravely. "The second one, we used a different technique and...well, ask Mr. 734."  
  
The other mage nodded vigorously. "It worked, me, Mr. 288, Lanolin and Tira worked together, it was real hard though, but we still managed to pull it off."  
  
Vivi gave Mr. 288 an uneasy leer. "What do you need me for?" he demanded quietly. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Vivi shut his eyes a moment and exhaled. Mr. 288 picked up on Vivi's mood and wried his sleeves.  
  
"You see, it wasn't a complete success either. Paella, God rest her soul, died...after a year." Mr. 288 explained. He gave a depressed sigh and continued. "So we figure that the child will have the same supposed lifespan as its parents."  
  
Vivi bit his lip and turned away, watching Mr. 734 sweep up around the shop. "I see." was his only response. Vivi tried to convince himself that it wasn't the same thing Kuja had done, but something about the whole thing seemed inherently awry. But why? He would have usually been happy to learn he could be a parent, but not like this. Just creating another being, for what purpose? He thought a moment about it. To replenish our numbers, he supposed. Humans did the same thing, although their purpose was long forgotten. It was just their way of having children, just like everyone else. It still felt awkward and unnatural. Mr. 288 noticed Vivi's expression of deep thought.  
  
"If you don't want to, no one is forcing you little one," Mr. 288 coaxed. Vivi sighed and shook his head. If he said no, would he be letting Mr. 288 and 734 down? He thought so.  
  
"Alright," Vivi murmured. He got a sudden sinking feeling in his stomach.  
  
"Are you sure?" Mr. 288 asked, concerned.  
  
Vivi nodded.  
  
Mr. 288 smiled. "Thank you."  
  
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/  
  
Whoo, chapter one is completed. I hope you'll drop off a review on your way out (heh, don't ask me why I'm talking like we're all in a room). I've already written a part of chapter 2 and trust me, it gets more fun from here on out. Oh, for those of you who tell me I've written Vivi out of character for the last half of this chapter, I know. But wouldn't you be slightly confused and angry if someone asked you to do something you thought was wrong and they knew it, but you couldn't say no? Okay, I'm done. 


	2. Unexpected Storm

Disclaimer: I no own, you no sue.  
  
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Chapter 2: An Unexpected Storm  
  
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"Alright Vivi, are you ready?" Mr. 288 asked.  
  
The small mage nodded.  
  
"Okay, close your eyes and concentrate."  
  
"On what?" Vivi retorted.  
  
"An emotion. A very powerful one," Mr. 288 said. "Hold out your hands as though you were casting a spell."  
  
Vivi complied. "Any emotion?" he asked, opening an eye.  
  
"Yes." Mr. 288 nodded. "Your magic and feelings are linked. So it has to be something you're very passionate about, whether it be love, sadness....even hate."  
  
Hate.  
  
Vivi's eyes clenched at this word, a thousand definitions and examples flooded his mind. He detested Kuja, everything about that wretched man was contemptuous. Vivi loathed how the people of Lindblum reacted to HIM after the attack from Alexandria. He abhorred Black Waltz No. 3, haughty and arrogant, yet so stupid, ignorant and more naive than he was at the time. He despised the deceased queen, and hated himself for wishing such a fate on her, causing so much pain to Garnet... A blurred mass of confused emotion jumbled his mind, causing a sense of nausea in his stomach, like a black writhing worm settling in his bowels, feeding off his blind rage. The worm seemed to grow, still writhing, waiting for the right moment. Vivi's breathing was becoming quite shallow, coming out as choked gasps. Then, all in an instant, the nausea violently subsided from his stomach and exploded in his arms, escaping through his palms.  
  
"Vivi, Vivi! Snap out of it, you can stop now!" Mr. 288 pleaded, giving Vivi a shake. The small mage's eyes snapped open, a deep gasp escaped from his mouth. A blood red flame with a black essence blazed between his palms, materializing his abhorrences. He looked up to Mr. 288, waiting for further intructions. Mr. 734 toddled up, clutching the egg carefully and offered it to Vivi. Mr. 288 nodded to him. "Go on, take it. The spell won't dissipate."  
  
Vivi obeyed. As he reached out, the flame remained stationary, blazing on without care. But when Vivi's fingers touched the shell of the egg, and the flame gave an excited jump and flung itself at it, disappearing into the shell. Vivi jumped in surprise and dropped it, Mr. 734, luckily, grabbed it before it hit the ground. Mr. 288 gave Vivi a concerned look, as Mr. 734 handed it back to Vivi. "Are you sure you're alright?"  
  
He nodded. In fact, he felt better than he had in awhile. "Okay, take care my friend." Mr. 288 said in a friendly voice. "Are you and your friends staying the night?"  
  
"No, we're going to Madain Sari and staying at Eiko's." Vivi replied. "Oh no, what time is it?"  
  
"Quarter to three," Mr. 288 said, pulling out a pocket watch. "Why?"  
  
"I'm supposed to meet everyone at the inn."  
  
"Here, I'll come with you. Mr. 734, would you take care of the shop?" he asked.  
  
"Alrighty!" Mr. 734 replied chirpily, continuing to sweep the floor.  
  
Mr. 288 walked up alongside Vivi as they left the shop. The small mage sighed. He was clutching the egg contently, which already felt very warm as he held it.  
  
"I apologize for the sudden burden." Mr. 288 said quietly.  
  
"It's no burden at all, really." Vivi insisted. " It'll be nice to have someone else in the house besides me."  
  
Mr. 288 chuckled. "You've certainly changed my friend." he commented.  
  
"Really? Zidane said that too."  
  
"Perhaps not physically," Mr.288 started, "But you seem so much more secure and content than last time we met."  
  
"You're saying I was insecure?" Vivi said with a fake tone of offense.  
  
"Yes, we all were." Mr. 288 shrugged, "It was an uncertain time."  
  
Vivi nodded. "I guess you notice changes in others, but not yourself."  
  
"Who knows," Mr. 288 said as they approached the inn. "I sure don't."  
  
The small mage chuckled. "Thank you Mr. 288."  
  
Mr. 288 layed a hand on the egg. "Take care of it Vivi." he said gravely. "Perhaps this is the solution to our dwindling numbers, but we don't know yet. That's the thing, you never know how things will turn out. When you think you've found a solution to a problem, fate has a way of twisting it from your grasp and place it with another question. Then you're back where you started." Mr. 288 mused. Vivi bit his lip and nodded.  
  
"I-I will. Trust me, I will."  
  
"Come back and visit as soon as you can." Mr. 288 said, beginning to walk away. Vivi waved.  
  
"Okay, I will." he said and went into the inn.  
  
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*//*/  
  
"Are you sure you can make it Madain Sari?" Zidane asked, putting his hand on top of Garnet's. "We can stay the night here if you'd like."  
  
"No, I'm fine, really." she insisted.  
  
Zidane stroked her hand. "Alright, as soon as Vivi gets here, we'll head...." His sentence was interupted by the squeak of the door's rusty hinges. Vivi toddled in. "Okay, let's go." Zidane corrected himself.  
  
Garnet and Zidane walked briskly out, Garnet looking very ill. They all went out of the village and were about half-way through the woods when Eiko piped up. "What's up with that egg Vivi? Is it a chocobo?"  
  
"N-no...." he replied. He tried to find a phrase, a sentence, something to tell Eiko what the germ was without freaking her out. Without thinking, he blurted out the first thing that came to mind, in a very quiet and somewhat embarassed voice. "...I'm g-going to be a father..."  
  
As if he wasn't embarassed enough when Eiko's eyes got wide with surprise, Garnet, Zidane and Steiner stopped and turned around. "What do you mean?" Eiko was the first to break the silence.  
  
"I'm going to be a dad." Vivi repeated, still very quietly.  
  
Eiko looked at the egg and then to Vivi. "You're weirding me out kid." she said and began walking ahead.  
  
Zidane slowed down to match Vivi's pace. "What happened? Where'd you get this thing from?"  
  
"It's a long story." Vivi said.  
  
"Okay, well come on." Zidane said. "We wanna try to get to Madain Sari before this storm gets kicking."  
  
They exited the forest as Zidane finished this sentence and lightning lit up the sky. He groaned. "Maybe you should just stop talking," Garnet said sarcastically, putting a hand on her hip.  
  
"That'll be the day," Steiner retorted with a chuckle.  
  
"Hey, I'm sure we can get it to Madain Sari before it gets any worse." he said, lightning once again tearing through the sky.  
  
"Zidane, maybe we should take the Condie Petite Mountain Path." Garnet suggested as the thunder crackled overhead.  
  
"Maybe you're right," Zidane said. "We'll take the airship to Condie Petite and walk from there. I'll carry you if you want my dear." he added sarcastically.  
  
"That's quite alright." she laughed. "I'm sure I can get there myself."  
  
"Okay then," Zidane said. "Be that way."  
  
They walked onto the airship, the planks of the deck squeaking more loudly than usual due to the moisture. "I will be that way." Garnet continued to argue playfully.  
  
Zidane grinned. "Okay! Then you go right ahead!" he laughed.  
  
"Then I WILL go right ahead." Garnet replied, very amused by this game. Zidane walked into the control room and grabbed the wheel, still arguing playfully with Garnet. Steiner took a seat on the deck, resting on an available barrel and watching the cloud blotted sky.  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
"Vivi, come up on deck," Eiko demanded the mage as the sat down and made himself comfortable in the cargo hold.  
  
"N-no, I'm fine." Vivi said. "I don't want the egg t-to get too cold."  
  
Eiko glared at him for a moment, sighed and sat down next to him. "You can go up there if you want," Vivi told her. "I'll be fine down here by myself."  
  
She ignored him and the two sat in silence, the engine's constant churning was the only sound breaking the void. After a few minutes, the airship creaked and groaned, and lurched foward, throwing them from their seats. Garnet, Zidane and Steiner walked down the stairs, letting in a cold gust of air from the deck above. Zidane saw the two youths tumbled on top of one another and laughed.  
  
"Can't leave you two alone for five seconds, can we?" he commented and grinned. Eiko got up and groaned, obviously having no mind of making another comment. "Come on, let's get outta here."  
  
The dwarves at Condie Petite let them pass into the Sanctuary, knowing Zidane, Garnet and Vivi had undergone the Ceremony. But it took them some time to convince the dwarf brothers gaurding the entrance to let Eiko and Steiner pass through without the sacred rite. They did, however, eventually pull it off.  
  
The dry, stony trail before them seemed to go on for miles and miles, lightning flashed overhead, startling the group and calling on a downpour of heavy, cold rain. Their walk became a trudge and the dirt became mud as they beared against the whipping rain. Zidane quickened his pace to match Dagger's and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, hoping to offer some warmth and security. "I think it would have just been easier to take the airship." he grumbled, but his words were only heard by Garnet, his mouth beside the girl's ear. Vivi was already struggling to keep up with the pace of everyone else, his steps uncertain on the slippery path and the veil of heavy drops, but he stopped when he felt something inside the germ stir and twitch. He thought for a moment it was either his imagination or his own arm shivering, but whatever it was gave another content twitch. He smiled and called excitedly out to the others, but was unable to see them anywhere.  
  
"You guys?" he called out again.  
  
he looked about again, the torrent rain stifling his senses. Vivi shivered and looked about urgently, hoping to at least see a shimmer of Garnet's orange dress (she's wearing a dress in this, er...more like a mu mu....she's pregnant, remmeber?) or Eiko's pink and yellow outfit. He heard Zidane call back from the path, his exact words lost in the collective pound and crash of the storm. "I'm coming!" Vivi shouted back as loud as humanly possible. He began to run ahead on the path, nearly completely blind from the rain and, in his rush, caught an unearthed root sticking out from the path. Vivi got up again and held his head, feeling woozy and dazed. Zidane grabbed his shoulder.  
  
"You alright?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah....oh no! Where's..." Vivi started out, but was interupted by a nudge from Eiko, who held out the egg, its shell muddy and wet. He took it back carefully, but his hand found a gaping part of the shell missing on the bottom. Tears welled up in his eyes. *aw!!!* "Oh no..."  
  
Zidane pulled Vivi up, not noticing anything wrong. "We gotta hurry up and get to Madain Sari, Garnet's not doing too well." Vivi pushed back his emotions and nodded, his face was freezing from the rain. Not saying a word, they continued up the path, the rain coming down in sheets. Zidane broke the silence, "Steiner and Garnet went ahead without us so...."  
  
His statement was interupted by a soft shuffling sound, followed by a loud, brittle crack and a small splash. Vivi gasped from the sudden lightening of the egg when he saw the child sprawled out on the ground. He shook his head sadly as he scooped up its small body. Eiko tugged on Zidane's arm before he went too far ahead. The monkey tailed boy turned back and saw Vivi kneeling in the mud and the motionless child in his arms. Zidane put an arm on the mage's shoulder. "I'm sorry..."  
  
Vivi looked at the infant as they stumbled through the rain and mud with the silence of a funeral procession. The child, wet and muddy, looked exactly like him, from the floppy leather hat to his white and turquoise pinstripe pants, all of it, an exact miniature of its father. As he held the infant, Vivi's arm was irritated by an uncomfortable fold of fabric or something on its back. Vivi gave another depressed sigh and sorrowfully placed a gloved finger in the child's hand. To his surprise, the infant's fingers curled around his, holding it tightly and defensively. Vivi's face lit up and he called out to Zidane and Eiko, who had once again gone ahead. "He's alive!!!"  
  
"What?" Eiko asked.  
  
"He's alive!" Vivi repeated, stopping in the path, overcome with joy.  
  
"I hate to be so stubborn, but we gotta get out of this rain." Zidane grumbled.  
  
"Oh, alright." Vivi replied. The child released the mage's finger and reattached itself to his shirt, trying to stay warm in the freezing rain.  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
Author's Note: I wasn't planning on stopping here, but hey, life's full of compromises, no?  
  
~NeoNaoNeo 


	3. Different

Disclaimer: If me not owning Final Fantasy IX were strawberries, we'd all have smoothies right now.  
  
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Author's Note: Hey y'all. I still have an idea and probably a set series of events that will occur in this story so be happy. Nothin' much else to say now. Keep them reviews coming! Thank you thank you thank you to everyone who has! And I'll take your advice aboot the Author's Notes in midsentence! (you know who you are!)  
  
Randall: Eh, you're just saying "You know who you are" because you forgot the person's user name!  
  
Neo: Shut up you stupid...stupid purple lizard thing!  
  
Maho: Well, he does have a point.  
  
Neo: La la la la la!!! I can't hear you!!!!  
  
Randall: Cover your ears all you want! You can't block out what's in your head.  
  
Neo: I'll take away the foozball table and ask Orko to show you guys his latest act if you two don't stop it!  
  
Maho: No! Anything but that!  
  
Orko: Hey now! I'm not that bad!  
  
Neo: All of you! Quiet! I think we're agitating the reader!  
  
Randall: Oh, heaven forbid.  
  
~NeoNaoNeo  
  
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Chapter 3: Different  
  
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A small fire was blazing in the hearth, keeping the small clay house very warm and giving it a blissful contrast to the downpour and torrents outside. Vivi and Eiko were sitting in the den alone, watching the fire's essence ebb and flow while Zidane and Steiner tended to Garnet, her condition getting worse. The only sound was the occasional "Kupo" from Eiko's moogles, who were clustering around her, thankful for their keeper's safe return. Vivi had the hatchling wrapped in a towel, trying to keep it warm from its fall in the puddle. Eiko was watching Vivi more than the flame as he held onto the sleeping child, cradling and holding it tenderly. She sighed and broke the wary silence. "What's his name?" she asked, assuming the child was a boy.  
  
Vivi shrugged. "I don't know, I really haven't thought about it."  
  
Eiko bit her lip. "How about Ipsen? "  
  
"That's a good name," Vivi commented. "Any reason for it?"  
  
"Not really. Just a cool name," Eiko shrugged as she allowed another moogle onto her shoulder. She gave the furry creature a small jar when she leaned over to Vivi. "Can I hold him?"  
  
"Yeah, sure." Vivi said, carefully removing the child's hands from his shirt. He gave a small whine and clasped the air. Eiko carefully accepted the bundle, handling him with the gentleness of a mother. Vivi looked at the child a moment and said to himself, "Ipsen..." trying the name on for size.  
  
A few of the moogles grumbled as they moved from their familiar posts on Eiko's shoulders and lap to Vivi's unaccommodating frame. Soon, the moogles were all asleep, weighing Vivi down in an uncomfortable way, but at the same time, making the already cozy atmosphere seem that much more welcome and warm. Vivi was becoming drowsy and tired from the warmth, despite his growling, empty stomach until he recieved a sharp shove from Eiko. He yawned and lazily opened a luminous eye. "Hm?" was his only response.  
  
"This is gonna sound weird," Eiko started nonchalantly, "But can black mages have wings?"  
  
Vivi instantly woke up at this question. She hadn't been with them when they faced the three black waltzes and he didn't think they had ever discussed it with Eiko. Where on Gaia had the question come from? he asked himself, half dreading the answer. "W-why?" he finally choked out.  
  
"It's just...here, look at Ipsen's back." she told him quietly, pulling the towel below the infant's shoulders and drawing him closer to her body, trying to show Vivi. Ipsen stirred lightly and, as though he was showing his father, stretched and yawned, making his fluffy damp wings very obvious, the appendages being no more than three inches in length. He shook his head. Eiko noticed this confused action. "What's wrong?"  
  
Vivi couldn't find any words to answer her question. His only response was, "No..." and even that was uttered with confusion and disdainfulness.  
  
"Jeez, Vivi. It's okay." Eiko scoffed. "Calm down."  
  
How could he clam down? This was...unbelievable, a regular kick in the nuts, as Zidane would say. This child was a waltz, and in Vivi's mind, evil, sinful, scornful and any other vile thing that could be imagined. "...no..." he repeated.  
  
"Vivi, snap out of it!" Eiko demanded. "It's no big deal!"  
  
"No big deal," Vivi said contemptiously. "No big deal? You weren't here when we faced them...."  
  
"Who? Does it matter?" Eiko said, offended by Vivi's disjointed reply.  
  
"The Black Waltzes, especially No. 3." he replied, still feeling out of it.  
  
"Vivi, will you make some sense!?" Eiko demanded. Ipsen was now awake, but not making a sound.  
  
"We faced two Black Waltzes, Zidane three of them...they were winged black mages..." Vivi said, recalling the terrifying airship ride from Dali to Lindblum. He remembered the black mages, coming to his rescue against the aviatory sage, how he destroyed them all with no regrets. "No. 3 killed all the black mages on the airship....I hate him..."  
  
Eiko was slightly taken back by Vivi's sudden contemptous and venomous statment, Ipsen whimpered slightly and clung to her shirt. Vivi was on the brink of crying, struggling to keep his breaths deep and tranquil. Ipsen made a small, timid whimper again and nuzzled Eiko. She looked down at the child and to the doorway that Zidane entered. "What's wrong?" she asked Zidane, noticing his distraught expression, still very confused on the issue that Vivi was talking about.  
  
"Nothing, I'm fine." Zidane said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Hey, how about we get some dinner cooking?"  
  
"OKay, me and the moogles will get cracking," Eiko said. She looked from Ipsen to Vivi as she pulled the small mage off her shirt and out of her lap. He whined again. "No, you can't help me cook dinner." she scolded playfully and offered the bundle to Vivi. The mage hesitated, but took him, slowly and uncertainly. Ipsen immediatley latched onto Vivi's shirt. Vivi sighed.  
  
"Affectionate little thing aren't you?" he sighed, and reached down, running a gloved finger along the child's cheek then tracing a path down the child's shoulder, making Ipsen giggle with amusement. But when his finger approached the small buds of Ipsen's wings, both drew back, Ipsen making a small, insecure noise. Vivi was surprised by the infant's sudden shyness. He once again edged his finger closer to Ipsen's appendages, but the child quickly withdrew, pulling his wings tightly against his back. Vivi suddenly felt a pang of guilt and a sudden sense of irony. He reminded himself of a person on the streets of Lindblum after the black mage attack. Just because the child was a waltz didn't mean he was evil....no matter how much a small part of his mind argued so.  
  
"I'm sorry," he said, once again running his finger along Ipsen's cheek. "I was wrong, please don't be afraid." he whispered tenderly. Ipsen continued holding onto Vivi's shirt, watching him inquisitively with his bright yellow eyes, slightly giggling. And, as if Ipsen had understood what Vivi said, neither of them shrank back when Vivi's knuckle met Ipsen's wing. The small waltz's giggles increased as Vivi started down his back and to his stomach, the giggles turned to laughs when Vivi began a full tickling assault on the child's stomach.  
  
They played that game for nearly a half an hour when Ipsen's laughs shrank to giggles and eventually to silence as Ipsen curled up in his arms, drifting off to sleep. Vivi recalled the lullaby his grandpa used to sing him as a child and began to repeat it in a quiet and unsure voice, he had long fogotten the melody, but the words still rang clear.  
  
"'The grey clouds hang like fog, Crytal drops, heavy and long. In the swamp croaks a frog This is life's sad song.  
  
The sun above dries the rain, Letting gardens grow strong. Only the warm breeze can explain, Why this is life's true song.  
  
An owl goes through the night, A mouse his next meal. The gentle creature within its sight, Soft, warm fur, is what his talons feel.  
  
Sometimes even scholars can't understand, why that is life's bittersweet song.'"  
  
Vivi ended on a confident note, remebering the tune as he went. It was a depressing lullaby, but one that seemed true and comforted him on his journey. Vivi smiled at the sleeping child in his arms, warm and secure.  
  
"Hey, Vivi! Come help Zidane cut up these vegetables Mogson brought in!" Eiko shouted from the kitchen. He sighed, loosened Ipsen's grip and laid the child in the nearest chair. He went into the kitchen where a wonderful, intoxicating aroma was drifting about, causing his mouth to water. Zidane was already setting to work, washin and cutting up the plump roots and vegetables, their juices dripping from his dagger like the tranluscent blood of a slain enemy. Vivi found the nearest knife and cutting board and began to work on the vegetables. When they were through and the roots were dumped into the broth, Eiko told them to start setting the table.  
  
Zidane came down from the cabinet holding three bowls.  
  
"Only three?" Vivi asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm not eating and neither is Garnet," he explained, seperating the bowls and placing them on their corresponding spots on the table. "I don't even know if Rusty's eating tonight."  
  
"Then why'd you make me make this big ol' pot of soup?!" Eiko scolded.  
  
Zidane shrugged. "You two look real hungry," he chuckled.  
  
"That's not funny!" Eiko said, her brows furrowed.  
  
"Calm down, I'm probably gonna have a bite to eat later, so just relax." he replied.  
  
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-  
  
It was nearly nine o' clock by the time Eiko and Vivi had finished their meal and cleaning up around the kitchen. The rain was no longer pounding at the windows, but the occasional flash of lightning and clap of thunder disrupted the peace. Eiko walked into the living room, holding a small bag of incense. "I'm going to Eidolon Wall," she announced and walked out the door, before Vivi could get a word in. He wandered across the room and, noticing Ipsen still slumbering in the armchair, picked up the small bundle and sat in front of the fire. It was so quiet and peaceful in the house, almost too quiet, like a sea before a violent tempest. He was nearly falling asleep when he heard a loud, pained groan from the bedroom. "Garnet?" he asked, more to himself than anyone else.  
  
He heard Zidane shout something and something small and wooden, like a foot stool, falling over. Vivi stood up to investigate, but when the mage got to the door, Steiner exited, looking red and embarassed. "What's wrong, what happened in there?" Vivi quickly asked, stumbling over his words.  
  
"Nothing's wrong Master Vivi," Steiner said. Another pained groan from Dagger and a word from Zidane. o_O "I've never been here before, would you mind...showing me around?" he said sheepishly, still quite red.  
  
Vivi nodded, looked at the door to the bedroom, shook his head and began walking outside, Steiner following him quickly.  
  
-=-=-=-=-==-=-  
  
A streak of lightning lit up the sky above Madain Sari, briefly lighting the dreary corner of Eidolon Wall. Eiko was knelt down in the center of the colorful murals, stripped of their beauty in the pitch darkness of the night. Beside her was a small lattern, which sturggled to stay lit in the gusts and rain. Steiner and Vivi had been there for nearly an hour, Steiner standing by the entrance and letting neither of them go. Vivi had given up on going anywhere, so he to leaned against the wall, his hat drooping over his eyes. Ipsen was still asleep in his arms, making a small and fond whimper or whine every so often.  
  
The echo of quick slogging footsteps soon filled the villa. Zidane ran through the entrance, panting and nearly knocking Steiner over. He had a look of urgency on his face.  
  
"Zidane, what happened, what's wrong?" Eiko said, coming from her state of meditation.  
  
Zidane said nothing.  
  
"Zidane?" Vivi echoed.  
  
Zidane was still panting, his tail curling with every drawn breath.  
  
"Tribal, what is it?!" Steiner snapped.  
  
"Do you really want to know?" he taunted, looking up.  
  
"Yes!" they said in a chorus.  
  
He grinned mischieviously.  
  
"It's a healthy little girl." he reported happily. "Her name's Robin."  
  
+-++-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-  
  
Author's Note: Whoot, done and done. 


	4. Six Years Later

Disclaimer: I no own, you no sue.  
  
`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Author's Note: Okay, I think I'm going to stick with this divider, it seems nice enough and descriptive of my mood (I feel like astriks and apostrophes!). I apologize for the time lapses in the chapters to come. Although I'll try to keep it in somewhat of a consistent flow of events. It'll all make sense in time Reader-san.  
  
'nother note of happy doom! We gots a new computer and the speakers are soooo fun! They sound better than my CD player and I am a happy pig!!!  
  
And now a special contest! You won't win anything, but it's still fun. If you can pick out my Shakespeare allusion in this chapter and can state the play it's from you will get a pat on the back. Good luck!  
  
~NeoNaoNeo  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*  
  
"Let's crack it open and see if it gots one of them super powered orphans inside!"~"My Life as A Teenage Robot" (I know, it's sad)  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*  
  
Chapter 4: Six years Later  
  
`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
"She's sleeping," Ipsen reported, squinting his keen eyes. "Yeah, Freya's definitely sleeping." Ipsen leaned back behind the trunk of the shady kupo nut tree, fumbling to fold his awkwardly large and downy wings on his back. A few stiff and almost ugly navy blue feathers jutted out from the white fluff, his wings molting for the first time.  
  
"Are you sure?" a girl asked, hanging from the lowest limb of the tree, her chocalate brown tail hanging limply below her as she curled her legs up near her body. Her golden brown hair was done in a short ponytail, many strands escaping the oppressive tyranny of the scrunchie.   
  
"Pretty sure," Ipsen replied. The girl hopped from the tree, throwing the stray hairs from her face and revealing a small yellow horn. She fingered a five gil note in her pocket and smiled.   
  
"Okay, I'll go back to town and get the gyshal greens, you stay here and make sure Freya doesn't get up." Robin told him, summarizing a plan that they had discussed prior to this meeting.  
  
"But what if something happens to you? Are you sure I can't come?" Ipsen pleaded, not wanting to be alone.  
  
"No, if Freya wakes up then what are we gonna do?" Robin protested. It wasn't that she didn't want to be near him, she just thought it was more logical that one of them stayed behind.  
  
"I know! I can't do anything if I'm here." Ipsen retorted. He then added pessimistically, "We're both gonna get in trouble anyway."  
  
"Oh fine, we'll both go." Robin sighed. "Come on, she's not getting any sleepier."  
  
"Okay," he nodded and joined Robin in the short walk back to their home town of Alexandria. It was a breezy, warm summer day, the plains outside the grand city were crisp and green, swaying rythmically back and forth. They were nearly to the gates of the city when Robin looked back and chuckled.  
  
"Man, did we give her slip." she commented, entering the gates. Ipsen joined her in a small laugh and then resumed his usual steady, but not shy, silence. He was usually a very quiet and quick witted boy, but when him and Robin were together, the two always found someway to find trouble and mischief. That was how they recieved their pet names among the adults of the gang, Robin was often refered to as 'Goodfellow' and Ipsen was just 'Imp'. Garnet thought it was all the time Zidane allowed Robin to visit Blank and the other members of Tantalus, but he continued denying it.   
  
The two children walked down the bustling streets of the city, looking about for the greens vendor. Both were hoping that if Freya did wake up and didn't find them out in the field, where she distinctly told them to stay, she would go easy on them, seeing how it was both their birthdays. Curiously, no one had said anything about a celebration and everything went on as routine, with the exception of Freya's visitation.   
  
Ipsen sighed and looked up to the sky, not paying attention to a thing that was going on. All of a sudden, he felt a painful jerk and was pulled into an alley by a very tall and frightening looking thief. "H-help!" he shouted, but the man clasped a grungy hand over his mouth. He thrashed about, beating his wings for all they were worth and kicking his legs like no tommorrow, but the man had him too tightly. Another man with four arms came around and looked him over.   
  
"Smoky, check his pockets." the four armed man ordered.  
  
"Ipsen?" Robin asked, peeking her head around the corner of the alley. Ipsen tried to call out and warm her, but a third thief, a stout woman jumped out and seized the child. The four-armed man looked to Ipsen's gruff captor.  
  
"The mage ain't got nothin' Jack," he reported. Jack looked to the woman.  
  
"She's got five gil."   
  
"Man, you'd think a couple of freaks would have more cash." Jack said, putting his top set of arms behind his head. Robin continued struggling against the woman's grip, when she finally sunk her teeth into her captor's arm.   
  
"Ah! You little bastard!" she cursed and reached for Robin again. The girl ran away from her, only to discover Jack was blocking her only way of escape, both sets of arms open and ready to strike. She dove at the man holding Ipsen, savagely biting and butting him with her sturdy horn, until he finally relinquished his prey. Ipsen stood up after the fall, somewhat shaky. He looked to Robin then to the gang of thieves surrounding them.   
  
"Now what?" he asked, half out of sarcasm, half out of fear.  
  
"Your dads been teaching you how to do magic, right?" she asked out of the corner of her mouth, the thieves merely watching the two children intently, waiting for the right moment to spring.   
  
Ipsen nodded.  
  
"Well, then do some magic!" she whispered bitterly.  
  
"B-but I..." Ipsen whispered back, unable to find a good excuse not to. He sighed and added with a small chuckle, "Okay, but I'm not responsible for any third degree burns."  
  
The small mage held out his palms and murmured an incantation, its words sounding mysterious and dream-like. And in a moment, flames burst out around two of the thieves ankles. They cried out in pain and shot past Jack. He grumbled at their cowardice and turned to the kids. "Your little fireworks don't scare me." he murmured and took a menacing step toward them.  
  
"Okay, now would be a good time for another spell," Robin suggested as the space between them and Jack got smaller, even as the backed away.  
  
"I can't, I'm spent for magic." he shrugged.  
  
"What do you....ah!" Robin started, but was interupted by Jack suddenly grabbing her by the tail and holding her. Before Ipsen had a chance to react, the thief grabbed him by the underside of his wing.  
  
"I'll teach you two runts to mess with Alleyway Jack," he said as he dropped Ipsen on the ground forcefully. Once again, he was too quick for the boy to react, and put a foot on Ipsen's back. He then grabbed Ipsen by a handful of feathers and yanked, causing the small mage to cry out in pain.  
  
"Leave him alone you four-armed freak!" Robin demanded, trying to take a swing at Jack, but, of course, missing. He raised her up to eye level.  
  
"You want a turn?" Jack asked, a twisted grin creeping across his face. He gave Ipsen's wing another violent jerk. The mage cried out in pain again, salty tears stinging his eyes and streaming down his cheeks. "Let me finish with this runt...."  
  
With one final jerk, the handful of down was torn from their anchored pores with a sickening ripping sound. Jack laughed when the mage cried out again in pain. He whimpered in surprise when the clank of a spear sounded behind them.  
  
"Leave them alone," said Freya, pulling her spear from the dirt and pointing it at Jack.  
  
The four-armed man choked to find words, but merely grumbled and dropped Robin and the handful of feathers, walking out of the alley nonchalantly. Freya looked to the two youths on the ground, Robin rubbing her bottom as Ipsen sniffled and inspected himself.  
  
Freya came over and looked at Ipsen's wing, touching the tender spot where all the down had been jerked out, the painful, raw skin exposed, slightly bleeding. Freya bit her lip and looked at him. "Are you alright?"  
  
He sniffled and nodded. "And you?" she asked, looking to Robin.  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
"Good, you two are in alot of trouble." she reported sternly, glaring at the two of them. "I told you two to stay in the field."  
  
"But we were just..." Robin started out, but was interupted by Freya.  
  
"Goodfellow," she said the girl's nickname with unbending sternness. "I'm not in the mood. Come on, you still have a few hours to play." Robin gave an exaperated sigh and began walking out of the alley, Ipsen still sitting on the ground. "You too, Imp."  
  
Freya said as she began walking away.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
"I guess we're not gonna our chocobo," Ipsen sighed, looking to Robin.  
  
"Guess not," she groaned and put her arms behind her head.  
  
"Is THAT why you two snuck off?" Freya asked, looking back.  
  
Robin decided it was already too late to hide their scheme. "Yeah, we were gonna buy some gyshal greens and try to lure a chocobo into a trap." she explained.  
  
"Oh really?" Freya said, bemused. "And what trap would that be?"  
  
"I don't know, we haven't made it yet." Robin shrugged.  
  
Freya chuckled. "Alright, you two stay within earshot, we're going to be heading back to the castle in another hour." she told them and went under the tree she had been sleeping under.  
  
"OKay," the two chorused and went off to find something to amuse themselves with. Robin hopped up in the nearest tree and called down to Ipsen.  
  
"Come up here!" she said.  
  
"Why?" Ipsen asked, watching an ant hill.   
  
"Just come up here," Robin said, "There's a bird nest and it's cool!"  
  
"Okay, hold on," Ipsen said and kicked the ant hill, sending the small insects flying. He went by the tree Robin was in and looked up, trying to find a decent bough to get himself onto. He heard Robin trying to hold back fits of laughter, for some reason unknown to him. He shrugged, grabbed the lowest branch and scrambled up the trunk. "OKay, where's the bird nest?" he asked, looking up to his friend, who was sitting on the branch above him.  
  
"There is no bird nest," Robin giggled playfully.   
  
"Then why did you..." Ipsen started out, but was interupted by Robin jumping from her branch and on him, nearly knocking him out of the tree. "Hey, what gives?!" he said, clinging to the trunk.  
  
"You're it!" she said smugly and jumped to the next highest branch. Ipsen gave her a wide-eyed look.  
  
"Th-that's not fair!" he exclaimed, standing on the branch.  
  
Overhead, Robin shouted, "All is fair in love and tag!"  
  
Ipsen grumbled and clambered up the trunk, in a clumsy and awkward fashion, slipping up every so often. Whenever he came within reaching distance of the girl, she would slip away, jumping to another branch. He grumbled again as he caught onto the next branch and pulled himself up, Robin already on the branch he was just on. Getting bored with playfully teasing Ipsen, Robin scrambled down the tree and landed on the soft, green grass with a thump and dashed across the field. The mage realized this and quickly followed her, falling out of the tree and, after a few moments, continuing the chase.   
  
Finally, the mage jumped on Robin, knocking her over. "I got you!!!" he said between breaths, still keeping the genome girl pinned. Robin laughed and, with a swift but struggled motion, she knocked Ipsen off and pinned him on the ground.   
  
"Now you're it!" she laughed. Ipsen rolled her over, using his weight to keep her down.  
  
"Got ya!" he said. They continued the pattern of pinning one another to the ground, laughing and shouting the periodic, "Pinned ya!"  
  
It was beginning to get on in the afternoon when Freya pulled them away from one another and began walking back toward Alexandria.   
  
"OKay, well, I'll see you later." Ipsen said as he broke off from the group and began walking toward his house.  
  
"Where on Earth are you going Imp?" Freya chuckled. "All of us are going to the castle."  
  
Ipsen gave the Burmecian an inquisitive look and then shifted his glance to Robin. She shrugged.   
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
"It's dark in here," Robin said as they entered the usually brightly lit entrance room of the castle. Ipsen edged close to Freya and grabbed her tail insecurely. He hadn't inherited his father's fear of heights, but was terrified of the dark, even though he could see very well in the dark.  
  
"Well then why don't we find some light?" Freya suggested. At that word, all the flame torches and the chandiler lit up, revealing Zidane, Eiko, Amarant, everyone from the travels.  
  
Garnet ran up and gave Robin a fond embrace and a kiss. "Happy birthday sweetie," she said in the girl's ear. Garnet then bent over and gave Ipsen a peck on the cheek. "You too."  
  
`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Author's Note: Whoo whoo! I was planning on finishing this yesterday or earlier today while my little brother was away, but I had to pick up on HIS chores as well as mine so it didn't happen. Unfortunatley, I won't get as far as I had hoped with typing up new chapters. Today is Nov. 8, so I don't know when I'm gonna post this. probably next weekend, just to keep you guys squirming.... o EVIL!!!  
  
BTW (eh, acronyms) I will give you the solution to the allusion I made in this chapter in refrence to Shakespeare at the end of next chapter so....HOO CHYA!  
  
~NeoNaoNeo 


	5. Promises

Disclaimer: I no own, you no sue.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Author's Note: Oh crap, I've barely even BEGUN this story and I'm already  
  
thinking of a sequel! (FYI, it's going to be based around Vivi, so whopee). So  
  
good news for all of you that are enjoying this story, I am definitely  
  
DEFINITELY going to at least finish this story. (a feat that, to this day, has never  
  
been done. By me I mean.)  
  
Anyhoo, I'll be announcing the allusion I've made later so be happy.  
  
~NeoNaoNeo  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
"I...am...so....thirsty..."~Chris, 'Thirsty' (a kick ass vampire book by M.T.  
  
Anderson *if you're into that kind of stuff*)  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Chapter 5: Promises  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
"Robin!" Eiko said, outstretching her arms to catch the genome girl as she  
  
pounced on Eiko. Robin laughed with glee and squeezed the girl in a fond  
  
embrace. Eiko was now seventeen, tall and pale, her long purple hair drifting  
  
down her back easily like the waves on a calm ocean. She was still wearing the  
  
same color scheme, a yellow dress with a pink sweater, although she out-grown  
  
the ornament she had on her back. She looked down to Robin, who was still  
  
clutching her arms around Eiko's neck, hanging down.  
  
"I see you're excited to see me," Eiko chuckled and bent over to set Robin down,  
  
when Ipsen came from behind her and hopped on her back. Eiko laughed and  
  
nearly fell over, even though Ipsen was nowhere near being heavy. "Oh my God!  
  
The squirrels are attacking!" she laughed and reached behind her to grab the boy.  
  
"I'm not a squirrel!" Ipsen giggled.  
  
Robin laughed and got around Eiko's legs. "Now you can't leave!"  
  
Eiko sighed deeply and gave a melodramatic pose. "Oh no! Never again can I  
  
leave this spot! What can I do!? What will I eat? Where will I sleep!?"  
  
Robin laughed. "Okay, you can go. But you have to tell me what you got me for  
  
my birthday!" Robin demanded.  
  
"Me too!" Ipsen chimed in, still on Eiko's back.  
  
"I'll give you guys a couple clues, but I can't just come out and tell you." Eiko said  
  
in hushed voice.  
  
"Good enough." Robin said, relinquishing Eiko's legs.  
  
"All right..." Ipsen said, sliding off her back.  
  
"Well, your present this year..." Eiko started off, "Is being able to see me again."  
  
"That's not a good present!" Robin huffed.  
  
"I thought it was a good enough gift," Eiko said sarcastically and put her hands  
  
on her hips.  
  
"Maybe for my dad," Ipsen chuckled as Vivi walked up. The mage had grown  
  
very little over six years, only nine inches at tops, which brought him to the  
  
height of a well-rounded twelve year old, although he was nineteen, going on  
  
twenty the next month. He waved sheepishly to Eiko.  
  
"Oh boy, here we go," Robin whispered to Ipsen. "Let's get out of here, you know  
  
how weird your dad gets around Eiko."  
  
Ipsen nodded. As they walked off, the winged mage was first to strike up a  
  
conversation. "If I ever like a girl," he started, but was interrupted by Robin.  
  
"If?" she said quizzingly.  
  
"Like that'll ever happen." Ipsen laughed.  
  
"Are you saying there's something wrong with girls?" Robin said, narrowing her  
  
eyes.  
  
"What? N-no, it's just that..." he started, but gave up. "I forgot what I was gonna  
  
say."  
  
"Something about if you ever liked a girl." Robin refreshed his memory, slightly  
  
blushing.  
  
"Oh yeah, if I ever like a girl, I'd tell her right away." he finished.   
  
"Yeah, me too." Robin said. "Except it would be if I liked a boy."  
  
Ipsen bit his tongue to discourage a comment on the awkwardness of Robin's  
  
first statement, but let it go when she corrected herself. "Hey, I made you  
  
something for your birthday." Robin said. "Beatrix showed me how to crotchet  
  
(it's pronounced 'crow-shay', dang funny French words)."  
  
"I made you something too, I left the box up in your room from earlier in the  
  
morning." Ipsen said.  
  
"Well, come on, let's go up to my room," Robin said, bounding up the dark  
  
staircase. Ipsen whimpered slightly and slowly made his way into the shadowy  
  
corridor.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
They entered her room, a messy and disheveled one at that. The floor was  
  
littered with storybooks and papers from her studies, the shelves were cluttered  
  
with unused and unwanted toys. The only toys she played with was the wooden  
  
sword Blank had made her last year and a stuffed dragon she was given as an  
  
infant. "I think it's over here..." she said and went in search of Ipsen's gift. The  
  
mage picked up the parcel he had left on her bed that morning before they went  
  
out to play. "Here it is!"   
  
Robin held up a small package that was messily wrapped in newspaper and  
  
twine. "I did it last night and my lights were off," Robin said, explaining the  
  
ragged wrapping of the gift.  
  
"Who cares about the wrapping?" Ipsen laughed and handed her his parcel. She  
  
did the same.  
  
"Okay, open it." Robin said, setting aside her usual 'me first' attitude.  
  
"No, you." Ipsen said.  
  
"Hey, I told you first...." Robin retorted in a saucy tone.  
  
"Fine," Ipsen said and quickly ripped apart the wrapping. He unfurled a scarf  
  
that was knitted from a vibrant yellow and lively green yarn, making thick  
  
stripes of alternating colors the whole way down. He looked at the end, running  
  
his finger along the black tassels. "Wow, this is cool." he said with a note of awe,  
  
trying the scarf on for size. He stood up and noticed the ends were well below  
  
his knees, nearly touching the ground. "Thanks! Okay, now you open mine."  
  
"Okay," she said, disposing of the wrapping. Her face lit up with delight when  
  
she examined his gift.  
  
"It's a dream catcher." he said.  
  
"You made it?" Robin asked and ran a finger along the loosely interlaced threads.   
  
Ipsen nodded. "It took me awhile though and my dad helped alot."  
  
It was a simple design, a green branch was tied by a piece of yarn at the top to  
  
make the frame and the network of threads inside were brown and clumsily  
  
knotted around one another, a few multicolored pony beads sat on the delicate  
  
web like drops of plastic dew. At the bottom, another three pieces of yarn were  
  
knotted around themselves, creating six different lengths of string. On each one a  
  
few fluffy white feathers were tied. She looked up to Ipsen. "Are these yours?"  
  
He nodded sheepishly. "Didn't it hurt?" she asked him.  
  
"Oh, I didn't pull 'em out." he quickly said. "They fell out."  
  
"Oh, so you decided to give them to me?" she giggled in a fake tone of offense.  
  
Ipsen nodded. "Yup, next year I'm going to give you my school papers."  
  
"Oh, yeah?" Robin said, "Well, I'm going to give you the hair I pull out of my hair  
  
brush."  
  
"Ooh, I'll keep it as a pet and name it George." Ipsen retorted.  
  
"Yeah, right. Knowing you, you'll freak and say something weird," she laughed.  
  
"Will not, I'll say thank you." Ipsen paused a moment. "Wait, that is weird upon  
  
receiving a wad of hair."  
  
There was a shout from downstairs. "Hey, if you two want some cake, get your  
  
little butts down here!" Zidane yelled playfully.  
  
"All right!" the two chimed together. As they began walking downstairs, Robin  
  
walked in front of Ipsen and turned around to face him.  
  
"Thanks," she said with a smile.  
  
"No problem," Ipsen replied.  
  
"Hey, we're gonna be best buds forever, right?" she said from nowhere.  
  
Ipsen nodded. "Of course," he said brightly.  
  
"You promise?" she asked.  
  
He thought for a moment. "I promise."  
  
"And if you ever like a girl, I'm gonna be the first one you tell, okay?" Robin  
  
continued.  
  
"Why...?"  
  
"Yes or no."  
  
"Alright, you'll be the first to know."   
  
"Promise?"  
  
"Promise."  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*  
  
Author's Note: Ugh, evil short, crappy chapter! Evil!!! Anyhoo, for those  
  
participating in the first annual name that Shakespeare Allusion competition  
  
(sponsored by Dr. Pepper; The Taste Of Originality©)  
  
The reference I made last chapter was Robin's nickname 'Goodfellow' in  
  
reference to Robin Goodfellow (AKA Puck), a shape shifting hobgoblin from 'A  
  
Midsummer's Night Dream', one of Oberon's favorite servants. Yippee. 


	6. Broken

Disclaimer: I don't own any FF9 characters, logos, locations, names, moogles, what have you.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Author's Note: Hey all! I just started a new game on FF9 and, after leaving Dali and hitting 'X' on any possible exclamation point in the Windmill forty times and pausing the game to admire the feather's on Black Waltz No. 2's wings (I'm not obsessed!) Just kidding. But still, I've revisited Dali in a new game and did some stuff and I'm inspired now!  
  
Also, if you guys don't review, I won't update. I hate to resort to this, but I don't magically know if you're reading the story, and if you don't review I assume you guys aren't readin'. So please, humor me.  
  
Once again, apologizing for time lapses. We'll jump ahead once ag'in next chapter and that should be it, so....whoo.  
  
~NeoNaoNeo  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
"Just remember Tsukasa, I am your ally. As long as we walk together, I will protect you." ~Maha, '.hack//sign'  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Chapter 6: Broken  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
((Three years later...))  
  
The monotonous, low hum of the stationary airship's engine filled the cold, autumn air in the Alexandrian Airship docks. The sky was a bleak gray and overcast with rainclouds. A group of people clustered around the platform onto the Lindblum-bound airship.  
  
Vivi was talking to Zidane, Ipsen clinging to his sleeve. The cutting breeze blew past the group, Ipsen drew his deep blue wings closer to his back, the stiff, cream white flight feathers swaying lightly.  
  
"Is Robin coming?" he asked Zidane, turning his face up, a few curled, navy blue feathers sticking out from under his yellow and green tunic.   
  
"Don't worry," Zidane assured him. "Garnet and Robin will be here..."  
  
"Hey! Don't leave!" Robin shouted above the crowd as she broke out of her mother's grip and bounded toward them. She stopped behind her father, still panting.  
  
"The airship's not leaving for another half hour," Vivi said. "So you two have plenty of time to...well.." He couldn't bring himself to say anything else. Ipsen released his sleeve and went over by the girl, dropping his ruck sack on the ground.   
  
They turned away and began talking. Zidane looked from them to Vivi. "Are you sure you have to go?" Garnet asked the mage. "Poor Robin, she'll be so lonely."  
  
"Yeah Vivi, they're practically joined at the hip," Zidane said, hoping to lighten the mood.  
  
Vivi nodded. "There's just no jobs here, after I lost my position at the Items Shop..." the mage sighed, recalling how he fell and accidently broke an entire crate of very rare and very expensive Elixirs.   
  
"Well, how do you know you'll get a job in Lindblum?" Zidane shrugged.  
  
"I've already sent an application and everything to the Synthesis shop owner in the Business District. He said I'm guaranteed a job." Vivi explained, wrying his sleeves. "I really hate to do this to them, but I think it'll turn out alright."  
  
"Yeah, Robin's a tough girl." Zidane chuckled.  
  
"Just like her father," Garnet smiled.  
  
"I am NOT a tough girl," Zidane said. "I'm extremely dainty and fragile."  
  
The airship's whistle blew loud and clear, signalling all the passengers on deck. "All aboard!" shouted a person on deck. Ipsen jumped in surprise at the sudden noise, his wings shot from his back, revealing a small patch of white feathers on the underside of his left wing, where Jack had yanked out the down a few years ago. Other than that and his flight feathers, his wings were the deep and undisturbed blue of a starless midnight sky. Robin bit her lip.   
  
"You'll visit me, right?" she asked.  
  
The winged mage nodded vigorously. "Why wouldn't I?"  
  
"I don't know," Robin shrugged. She leaned in and gave wrapped her arms around Ipsen. "Bye!"  
  
"Bye," he said, returning the embrace.   
  
"Come on Imp," his father called.  
  
"Com-ing!" he said chirpily.  
  
"Hey, remember, if you get a girlfriend, tell me before anyone," Robin said. "You promised."  
  
"I'll write you a letter," Ipsen responded. They began walking toward the platform leading onboard the airship.   
  
Ipsen followed his father onboard.  
  
"Bye!!!" Robin called over the roar of the engine as it warmed up.  
  
Ipsen waved down to her from the deck as the airship jerked and lifted off.   
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
They hadn't brought much to Lindblum from their old home, not that they had much to start off with. It was drizzling outside, an occasional flash of muted and dull lightning caused a cloud to seemingly glow for a moment. Vivi was sitting in a chair, exhausted from the unpacking and cleaning they had done, but he knew that he'd be starting work tommorrow. He had tucked Ipsen in a few moments before. The boy didn't seem to sad about it, so he pushed his guilt about the abrupt move aside.   
  
Ipsen peered from around the corner of the wall. "D-dad...?"  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I don't like my new bed. Or new room," he replied meekly.  
  
"Why not?" Vivi asked and opened his arms, allowing Ipsen to scramble into his lap.   
  
"Do remember that song you used to sing me?" Ipsen asked quietly.  
  
Vivi nodded. "Why? You haven't wanted me to sing that since you were four." the mage replied, recalling the lullaby that Quan had taught him as a child, the one that Ipsen grew up hearing.  
  
"Well, please?" Ipsen requested.  
  
Vivi sighed and repeated the lullaby.  
  
"'The grey clouds hang like fog,  
  
Crytal drops, heavy and long.  
  
In the swamp chirps a frog.  
  
This is life's sad song.  
  
The sun above dries the rain,  
  
Letting gardens grow big and strong.  
  
Only the warm breeze can explain,  
  
Why this is life's bright song.  
  
An owl goes through the night,  
  
A mouse his next meal.  
  
The gentle creature within its sight,  
  
Soft, warm fur, is what his talons feel.  
  
Sometimes even scholars can't understand,  
  
why that is life's bittersweet song.'"  
  
By the end, once again, Ipsen was fast asleep. Vivi chuckled and took him to his room. "Good night little one."  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
The day was young and bright as children trudged to the bane of most of their young lives; school. Ipsen, however, was always eager to learn, and adored school. A few children loitered about in front of the building, but a majority of them went straight inside. The bell in the steeple of the roof rang, and all the children headed inside.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
The teacher was a nervous, wirey woman, her thin, black hair tied in a messy bun. A pair of thick glasses rested on her nose. She wore a bright red sweater that was three sizes too big. She looked to Ipsen, and gave a shudder, recalling the attack on Lindblum twelve years ago. "Alright children! Hush! We have a new student joining us today. Ipsen Ornitier, would you like to tell us about yourself?"  
  
Ipsen shrank back in his desk. "Not really," he replied. It was very rare he was shy, but all the students were staring at him with cold, hard glares.   
  
"Now, now." Ms. Crouch purred. "Come on boy, don't be shy."  
  
Ipsen sighed and hopped out of his desk, the class was completely silent. He began walking toward the front, his peers now whispering comments and insults to one another, laughing every so often. Ipsen finally made it to the front after what seemed like an eternity and spoke in a small, unsure voice. "Me and my dad just moved here from Alexandria and..."  
  
A large, oafish-looking child raised his hand. "Yes Semore?" Ms. Crouch called.  
  
"Yeah, is your dad a freak too?" he insulted.  
  
Ipsen held his tongue while Ms. Crouch scolded him lightly. Ipsen thought he had said enough and returned to his seat.  
  
"Okay, we're starting fractions today. So get out your scribble pads and do this problem," she jotted down ' 1/2 + 3/4 = ?' on the board. Only a few seconds later, Ipsen raised his hand. "Are you having difficulty with the problem?"  
  
"No ma'am. I know the answer." he replied.  
  
"Betcha it's wrong," Semore whispered to the kids around him.  
  
Ms. Crouch chuckled. "Alright, what'd you get?"   
  
"One and one fourth," he answered chirpily.  
  
"That's right," Ms. Crouch confirmed. The students chattered to one another silently in disapproval. "Would you like to show your work on the board?"  
  
"I didn't write anything down." he said.  
  
"Then how do I know you didn't just take someone else's answer?" Ms. Crouch asked, stepping toward him.  
  
"But, no one else near me had the answer," Ipsen said innocently.  
  
"Now listen here, in this class we write out our work," she said sternly. "So if you get it wrong, we can find out what you did wrong."  
  
"But I didn't get it wrong. Do we even have to fo it with the easy problems like this one?" Ipsen asked.   
  
"Nerd!!!" shouted a child, in the usual immature attempt to riddicule anything different. Ipsen narrowed his eyes at him, but let it go. The steeple bell rang, announcing recess.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
The playground was chaotic, children running and screaming in every direction. Ipsen stretched his wings, aching to practice flying sometime. A kid called him over "Hey kid! Wanna play tag!?" Ipsen was glad to accept, at least it proved not all the children were hostile toward him. He ran toward the small group.  
  
"Sure!"  
  
"Okay, one two three....NOT IT!"  
  
"NOT IT!"  
  
"Not it!"  
  
"Not it!"  
  
"Not it!" Ipsen joined in the chorus of refusing the place of 'it'. Unfortunately, he had said it right before Semore, and the poor, ugly oaf was stuck with the position of 'it'.  
  
The game took off with an exciting start as the contestants easily dodged, ducked and out manuevered Semore. Ipsen was running from the boy when he stumbled and fell face flat on the pavement.  
  
"Dog pile on the nerd with wings!" Semore shouted, attracting the attention of the rest of the players. Ipsen was nearly up when Semore lunged at him. Ipsen shut his eyes, expecting the tremendous impact, but all he felt was a sudden flash of freezing cold and then a sense of isolation. He heard kids talking, from what sounded like below him.  
  
"Where'd he go?" Semore said.  
  
"He just vanished," another child explained, slightly frightened.  
  
Ipsen opened his eyes and looked about his surroundings. He was no longer huddled on the ground, but was standing on the roof of the school! He gave a small cry of fright and surprise. "H-help!" he yelled.  
  
"Whoa! He's on the roof!"   
  
"How'd he do that?"   
  
"He musta teleported, I think that's what it's called."  
  
Ipsen sat down. Teleported up here? He didn't know he had the capability to do that. He slid down to the edge of the roof and peered over. No, it was too high to jump. Maybe he could try teleporting again, but how'd he do it the first time? Ipsen thought of what had happened the instant before. Semore was about to crush him, and he thought about being able to fly and get away. He certainly was higher than Semore and he got away. Ipsen exhaled and closed his eyes, concentrating on being back down below with the kids. Another sweep of cold air. He opened his eyes and met the surprised gawks of everyone that was playing the game, even many children that weren't.  
  
"Whoa, you really are a freak." said the kid that had invited him to play. "We don't want you playing anymore, we think you'll cheat."  
  
Ipsen was too afraid to reply, frightened by everyone's glares and accusing murmurs. His wings pressed against his back as he turned away. Ipsen could tell this was going to be a very lonely school year.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Ipsen stepped on the airship and took a seat. A shout came from outside as the doors began to close. "Hold the door! Wait, I'll be there in a moment." called a taunting male voice, seeming harsh around the edges. A man entered the air cab, drawing his brown robes closer around him. Ipsen couldn't help but stare at the odd gentleman, his hair was a fluttering silver color, a few wisps stuck out like feathers. He had a very pale and delicate face, which could have been taken for a woman's at first glance. The man caught sight of Ipsen and held his stare. The small mage quickly turned away, but couldn't ignore the man when he took the seat next to Ipsen.  
  
"What's your name little one?" he asked.   
  
"Ipsen," the mage replied, not wanting to be rude. "You are...?"  
  
"Kuja," the man smiled lightly. His voice was no longer sharp around the edges. "I saw what happened at your school today." He added.  
  
"O-oh," Ipsen said, thinking Kuja was now going to start antagonizing him.  
  
"You have alot of potential as a black wizard," Kuja then commented, settling in his seat. "I could teach you to properly utilize your skills."  
  
"Oh, my dad already teaches me magic." Ipsen replied.   
  
"But I could teach you so much more," Kuja said and added slyly, "We could become great friends."  
  
That statement had struck a nerve and Ipsen considered his offer. This was probably his only chance to make a friend in this cruel town. "Okay! You can meet my dad and..."  
  
"No no," Kuja said, waggling a finger. "Let this be our little secret. Agreed?"  
  
"Okay," Ipsen said.  
  
"Good boy," Kuja breathed and shook Ipsen's hand. "Let us meet in the fields outside town sometime in the afternoon."  
  
Ipsen nodded as the air cab jerked to a halt. Kuja stood up. "This is my stop."  
  
"Oh, okay. Bye!" Ipsen waved.  
  
"Take care," Kuja said and added under his breath,"My little puppet."  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Author's Note: No Ipsen!!!! Take the blue pill take the blue pill!!! Or the red one...? I forget. Anyhoo, I apologize for the sheer crappyness of the last half of this chapter. I thought it was crappy and somewhat strained.   
  
Still, review. I'm hoping to reach 25 of them by the end of this story. If we do, I'll have an extra special rambling after the epilogue and bloopers! If not, then the ramblings will only be seen by those who can read the cover of my sketch book. And yes, the ramblings are of this story. So be super happy, hwah!  
  
~NeoNaoNeo 


	7. Six Years Later again

Disclaimer: I no own, you no sue.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Author's Note: Boy howdy, I have been having so much fun writing this and pondering the sequel and vampires and my comics and....wait, those have nothing to do with this, do they? Oh well. This chapter will hopefully not be as spastic as the last. Next chapter, I promise will be so friggin' fun, your head will explode. Remember, review, review, review!  
  
~NeoNaoNeo  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
"You know the funny thing about driving a car off a cliff is I bet you still try to hit the brakes. Hey, better try the emergency brakes."~Jack Handey, Deep Thoughts  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Chapter 7: Six Years Later  
  
*`*`*`*``*`*`  
  
Ipsen hadn't seen Robin for several months now, not since their last birthday get together, when they celebrated the two's fifteenth year of exsistence. Robin was growing at an exponential rate, becoming more and more of a beautiful young woman everytime he visited. He, however, seemed to have his father's curse, and bearly grew at all, although he did out stand Vivi by a full six inches. His wings still seemed too big for his body, giving him the awkward and clumsy look of a child, and gave Robin a source for teasing. His thoughts seemed to be on her alot lately, hoping and waiting for the next time they'd see one another.  
  
It was a mid-October afternoon, and a beatuiful one at that, especially on the fields outside Lindblum. The sky was still a bright, cheery blue, seeing as the day was still quite young. Ipsen sighed and gave his wings a few sturdy flaps while waiting for Kuja to show up. The two had grown quite close over the years, Ipsen saw Kuja as the only friend he had in Lindblum. As Ipsen spread his wings to full length and began treading on the verge of a promising thermal, a fire ball whizzed past his face. "Jesus!" He exclaimed and took a couple strong beats backwards. Kuja waved to him from the ground. "Oh yeah!?" he shouted as a challenge and commanded a strip of lightning toward Kuja, although it missed.  
  
He landed, folded his wings along his back and chuckled. "I'm glad to see you too," Ipsen laughed and was joined by Kuja after a few moments.  
  
"You should on your toes at all times," Kuja taunted slightly with a shrug and began walking off.  
  
"So, what are we doing today?" Ipsen asked, following him enthusiastically, like a child.   
  
"I don't know," Kuja admitted. "I've taught you as much as I can."  
  
"Oh," Ipsen said dejectedly. "Well, we could hang out. You know, just chill and talk."  
  
"Alright, you've seemed distracted lately." Was Kuja's amazing conversation starter.  
  
"I've just had my mind on alot of stuff," Ipsen murmured and looked away, his thoughts once again returning to Robin.  
  
"Like what?" Kuja said, taking a sudden tune of interest.  
  
"My friend back in Alexandria."  
  
"What was his name?"  
  
"She was a girl," Ipsen defended. "Her name's Robin."  
  
"Were you two very close?"  
  
Ipsen nodded. "We moved though and I hardly see her anymore."  
  
"Well, that seems unfair." Kuja retorted, in hopes of hitting a nerve. "Why did you move?"  
  
"Dad needed a new job," Ipsen shrugged.  
  
There were a few moments of silence when Kuja's face suddenly lit up with joy and he clapped his hands together. "I know! How about you introduce me to him? I would really like to get to know him."  
  
"Hey, sure! You can come over later," Ipsen suggested. Kuja had always been so hesitant to meet Vivi, so this change of heart was very welcome. "Hell, why don't we just go now? I mean, you don't seem to have anything planned."  
  
Kuja smiled his infamous cheshire cat smile. "Sounds fantastic." he uttered, grinning all the while. Ipsen clumsily hopped from his perch on the rock, nearly falling over. Kuja winced at the boy's awkwardness, but went unnoticed. Ipsen looked up to the man, wrying his sleeves.  
  
"You know, we've been friends for....six years," Ipsen confided. "You're the only person I feel safe telling anything, I mean besides Robin..."  
  
"Do you love her?" Kuja asked, tilting his head.  
  
Ipsen laughed. "That's the funny thing," he admitted. "I promised her when I was six if I ever fell in love with a girl, she'd be the first to know. But now, here I am telling you."  
  
"Things usually have a way of working out in ways you couldn't have predicted," Kuja said absentmindly. He blew a strand of hair out of his face and looked up to the cloudless sky. "I'll probably be heading back to Treno after you introduce me to Vi---your father."  
  
The two entered the gates of the gigantic city. "Why, what do you have to do in Treno?" Ipsen asked.  
  
"Oh, haven't I told you?" Kuja said with a transparent tone of surprise.   
  
"No," Ipsen replied, shaking his head.  
  
"I live there," Kuja admitted. "In the auction house. A lovely place. Always company."  
  
"Ugh, I wouldn't be able to stand complete strangers walking in and out of my house all the time." Ipsen groaned.   
  
They were now at Ipsen's house, a small one-story brick home, the roof was raggedly tatched and looked in desperate need of repairs. Ipsen turned the knob and slowly opened the door, which made a load groan as Ipsen pushed it aside. Vivi was sitting in his chair, reading a book in front of a lit fireplace. Vivi looked up when Ipsen entered, Kuja was staying behind.  
  
"Hey dad," Ipsen waved. "I want you to meet my friend, Kuja."  
  
Ipsen turned around and waved the man in. Vivi slowly got out of his chair as Kuja stepped in, an evil smirk on his face, expectant of the mage's reaction. Vivi narrowed his eyes at Kuja and then turned to Ipsen, but went back to Kuja. "Get the hell out of my house!" Vivi shouted at him and sent a fira attack flying.  
  
Ipsen quickly teleported away from the door, where the spell was about to accumulate. Kuja cast a reflect spell, but instead of bouncing it off to its reciever, the shield merely dissipated the conjuration. Vivi once again readied a spell, waiting for Kuja to make a move. Kuja merely gave Vivi an offended look. "I can tell when I'm not wanted. Good bye Ipsen." he muttered pathetically and walked away. He closed the door and smiled to himself. "Now, you'll come to me my little puppet. And you'll have no one to blame but yourself."  
  
Kuja vanished, leaving no trace.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
"Dad, what the hell---"  
  
"I don't want you to be around him, he's a horrible, horrible person." Vivi said sternly, as though he was talking to a child of three. "And second, don't you dare start swearing under my roof."  
  
Ipsen ignored his last command. "He was my only f*cking friend in this whole goddamned town!" Ipsen swore, just to fluster his father.  
  
Vivi glared at Ipsen for using the queen mother of all swear words. "Ipsen, look. He's a sneaky, conniving, evil man! He doesn't deserve..."  
  
"Oh yeah?" Ipsen retorted, interupting Vivi. "Well that *mockingly*sneaky, conniving, evil man....is my only friend! Besides Robin, but no. We had to move la-dee-f*ckin' Lindblum."  
  
"I told you," Vivi interupted before Ipsen made a point. "I needed to get a job!"  
  
"Dad, do you know how easy it is to get a job in Alexandria?" Ipsen retorted. "There ar...."  
  
"Not six years ago." Vivi said solemnly, although with a slight tone of sarcasism. Vivi was twenty-three by now, and had lost much of his innocence over the years, but was still cheerful when in a good mood. In this situation, however, he was not in a good mood and his only son was trying to pin him against a wall defending someone who he knew was crooked and dispicable in any view possible.   
  
Ipsen wasn't usually this offensive either, quite the opposite. Him and Vivi usually got along better than many parents and offspring do, especially when the child is a teenager. But in this predicament, Ipsen felt cornered. Any friends he had had in Alexandria were lost and any chances of making friends in Lindblum were destroyed on that first day of school. Ipsen clenchd his fist and glared at Vivi. "Dad why can't you just let me pick my own friends? It's none of YOUR goddamned bus---"  
  
"Go to your room, I told you to stop using that kind of language in my house! You see how Kuja's such a bad influence?" Vivi said, sounding more and more like an opressive parental dictator every minute.  
  
Ipsen, uncharacteristally, laughed at Vivi's ignorant statement. "I learned that from Zidane!" he shouted at Vivi, between scorning laughs.  
  
"Still, I don't want you seeing him anymore!" Vivi said, asserting his authority. "In fact, I don't think you need to see Robin next week either. Visit's off."  
  
Ipsen stopped his laughs. He stopped thinking. Everything just stopped in his mind. Now he couldn't visit Robin, the one he had grown up knowing, caring about, loving. That was the last straw. "That tears it!" Ipsen roared, spreading his wings at full length in an intimidating stance. Every feather pricked up and stood on end as he raised himself in the air, literally levitating on his scorn toward his father at the moment.   
  
Vivi made a choked gasp and fell to the ground, staring at his son wide-eyed with fear. Everything about Ipsen at that moment pulled a string leading to Vivi's memories of Black Waltz 3. Vivi quivered in his own son's shadow. Ipsen narrowed his eyes, not feeling any sympathy toward his father when he uttered his feelings, summed up in a short and bitter phrase.  
  
"I hate you." Every part of this three worded phrase was spat out with such loathing and contempt, Vivi was transfixed. Ipsen hovered, glaring, for a few moments and then teleported with a small imploding sound. Vivi made a small noise and reached out to where Ipsen was a moment before, but all that was left of the boy was a small, stiff white feather. Vivi picked it up and drew back, tears beginning to well up in his eyes.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
The afternoon air was still fresh and warm, the thermals were promising and abundant as Ipsen tore through the air, flapping his wings violently. He was going to Treno. He didn't care what Vivi said, he wasn't going to lose another friend.   
  
Ipsen began calming himself down, his chest begining to burn from the prolonged anaerobic activity. He stopped flapping and adjusted his flight feathers for gliding. Ipsen pricked his sense of feeling, flapping his wings every so often, and finally began treading on the verge of a thermal, instinctively navigating it for an edge. The warm air bubble seeped beneath his wings and allowed him to seemingly float, like a pheonix going on hunting rounds. He wouldn't be able to make it to Treno unless he coasted on the thermals, being built aerodynamically like a hawk. Ipsen knew his wings were made and designed for riding the air currents, not flapping and fighting against them.  
  
His wings were spread at full length, the sheer sense of flying giving him a feeling of escasty and euphoria. The air was becoming cooler as he approached Treno, night settling down and flattening the thermals. His muscles were becoming more and more relaxed as he flapped in order to stay aloft, now satisified with his decision.   
  
"I'll show you dad," Ipsen sighed bitterly as he entered the gates of Treno.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Author's Note: Ho-ly crap. That turned out waaaaay different than I thought it would. But that's a good thing. And yes, I'm one of those spooky birdwatcher people whose greatest dream is to somehow genetically alter myself to have wings. Spooky, no? Okay, here is my rant explaining thermals and hawks and what they have to do with one another.  
  
Anyways, if you don't know or didn't get, a thermal is like a big air bubble that occurs when a surface (usually open fields or prairies, parking lots, roof tops, cars, roads and asphalt) is heated by the sun and the heat rises....making a thermal. Hawks, eagles, vultures, buzzards, ospreys, and other raptors/scavengers are strictly built (namely their broad wings) for coasting and floating on these air bubbles, that's how they fly for hours on end when keeping an eye out for food. Their wings get tired quickly when they're flapping, so yeah....that's more than you ever wanted to know about hawks, right?  
  
~NeoNaoNeo 


	8. Needles

Disclaimer: I no own, you no sue.  
  
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Author's Note: Jesus Christ, everyone in my family is driving me nucking futs! I'm doing this chapter right now because I really need to get out this pent up....how should I say this...? Violent tendencies? No...Graphic descriptions? Yeah, there we go. RPGs aren't really cuttin' it for me, so I need to resort to something else. Whoopee.  
  
~NeoNaoNeo  
  
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"Bow down, bow down, before the po-wer of Santa or be crushed, be crushed....byyy....his JOLLY BOOTS OF DOOM!"~Invader Zim  
  
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Chapter 8: Needles  
  
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"Kuja? You around?" Ipsen said, walking through the darkened corridor of the auction house. He kept his wings pressed close against his back and a hand holding his scarf. Kuja grabbed his shoulder. "Ah! Oh, it's you. You scared the crap out of me."  
  
Kuja smiled. "I'm so sorry I led you on my boy, but sacrifices have to be made." he said to the mage.  
  
"What do you mean?" Ipsen asked, afraid of the response.  
  
"I mean that our friendship was nothing more than a hoax," Kuja replied with a shrug. "I hope you don't take any of this personally."  
  
A hoax? Kuja had faked their friendship this whole time? Ipsen felt a pang of guilt for what he said to his father. Kuja laughed at the mage's bewildered stare, putting a hand on his forehead in a melodramatic pose. "Stop! You're killing me, that childish look is too much!"  
  
"How could you!? After all this time!?" Ipsen finally shouted, spreading his wings in indignantly.  
  
Kuja's smile became a smirk. "I did want to teach you all that magic though, you probably would have stuck with daddy's lessons if I hadn't become your 'friend'." he laughed. "I was using you."  
  
"For what? What could you possibly get from teaching me all that magic?" Ipsen uttered and began conjuring a spell. "Besides a cracked skull?"   
  
Kuja was too fast and slammed him against the wall with the super-heated explosion of a flare spell. Ipsen groaned and tried picking himself up or teleporting, anything to get him out of there, but he wasn't able to muster the strength. Kuja approached him and removed a vial and syringe from his robe pocket.   
  
"My my, what a temper we have, little puppet. And so curious. Well, I can assure you, all questions will be answered. Even if you don't remember what you asked." Kuja chuckled and flipped Ipsen over with his foot, as though Ipsen had some terrible disease and was afraid of being contaminated. "You know, I find your kind quite depressing, being so blind and easily manipulated. But at the same time.... fascinating. It usually takes creatures such a dreadfully long time to grow and evolve, if they ever even reach that stage of development. But your kind, all it takes is a little stimulation and you can become completely different creatures. You grow at the smallest beam of sunshine and drops of rain. Quite astounding...oh, I'm sorry, I'm rambling, aren't I?"   
  
He ran a gentle finger along Ipsen's backbone and applied some slight pressure with his thumb, right between his wings. Ipsen was beginning to calm down and regain his sense, until Kuja shoved the needle of the syringe into his skin and into his bone. Ipsen gave a terrible scream which went into a deep throated, feral growl. The burning pain paralyzed Ipsen, leaving him completely helpless as Kuja finished the injection.   
  
Ipsen began shivering violently and went into the fetal position, clutching his stomach from the pain. Kuja watched him, bemused. "Don't worry about it, you'll feel much better in the morning, I can assure you." the silver haired man muttered, the sharpness edging his voice once again. He snapped his fingers and a servant came up, a plump woman in a blue house dress. "Aggy."  
  
"Yes sir?"  
  
"Take this runt to a room." he ordered.  
  
"Is he alright?" she murmured, not expecting an answer. She didn't and took Ipsen under her arm, leading him up to a room. Ipsen groaned and clutched to her for support, very dazed and befuddled.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. You were right dad," he mumbled a few times on the way up the stairs.  
  
"Hush darling, you're fine." the woman coaxed and opened a door. "Here's where you'll be staying."  
  
His only response was a low groan as he stumbled to keep himself up without the woman's support. What started as a sharp jolt of pain in his back became a throbbing ache all over. He flopped down in the bed, every muscle in his body felt like they'd been replaced by vomit gelatin. But Ipsen managed to make himself comfortable in the bed, while cursing and grumbling at his fate. In the morning, he'd try to make a break for Lindblum. He nodded at the plan, despite the barred windows, and drifted into an uneasy sleep, every muscle in his body aching and twitching.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*  
  
The moon was blood red above him as he flapped over the plains, black and yellow wings illuminated in the diseased moonlight. He had to labor his wings harder than usual to stay up in the stale, dead air, but it wasn't a problem to him, Ipsen felt slightly more powerful and much more savage than usual. A bloodlust, an insatiable urge to hunt, to kill.   
  
Movement! A hooded figure darted below him, running from an inevitable fate. Ipsen cackled at its foolishness and swooped down. The night breeze was painfully cold against his exposed throat, his scarf was left behind, as was his innocence and only a few stray, crimpled feathers clung to his skin. He loved the chase, the game of cat and mouse. He teleported in front of the figure. A gasp escaped from under the hood as the figure stumbled and fell over itself. He ported behind the perplexed creature, imitating the acts of Black Waltz 2 until he became bored.  
  
"Please, don't!" the figure shouted. That voice was so familiar, he knew it. He held back, but his feral side snarled at him, egging him on. He took a step forward and spread his wings as a spell left his hand. "No!!!"  
  
The figure was swallowed in a tidal flame, leaving a fallen body. He smiled at his handiwork and walked up to his victim. The hood still hid its face from view, but he lifted it off and gasped in shock and disgust at his own actions.  
  
Robin stared back at him, her once pale and beautiful face contorted and ripped with flames.   
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*   
  
"Robin!!!" He shouted, shooting out from his bed with a violent start. He was shaking all over, nearly ready to vomit himself. "Uh," he said, closing his eyes and laying back down. "A dream, just a dream." Ipsen muttered and settled back into the warm and inviting bed. His muscles were no longer tensed or aching, although he felt constricted. He thought it was just his imagination, but after trying to push off the feeling to no avail, he growled at the discomfort. He just wanted to get back to sleep, seeing as it was still night out. He closed his eyes, but opened them a few moments later, remembering where he was.   
  
"City of eternal night," he muttered playfully to himself. But what came out wasn't his voice. The voice he heard was much deeper than his, with an edge of hoarseness. He swallowed and tried his voice again, hoping his sleepy mind was playing tricks on him. "City of eternal night..." he repeated, but trailed off when the deep raspy voice came out. Ipsen gave a nervous swallow and pulled off the covers.  
  
"Oh God..." he said, looking himself over. Ipsen's stomach was completely exposed, his shirt was ripped and stretched, and many of the seams were burst. His hat and pants still fit despite his sudden growth spurt of nearly two feet, although his pants were ripped and tattered at the bottom. He was shaking with disbelief.   
  
"Oh God no," he reached down to examine the bottom edge of his pants, but drew back when he saw his hand. Ipsen's fingers had burst from their mahogany gloves, now exposed as black, claw-like talons. He looked across the room and caught sight of a mirror.   
  
Ipsen shook his head in disbelief at his reflection. Instead of the few, crimpled feathers that once stuck out of his neck, a full covering of deep blue plumage surrounded his throat. The next thing he noticed was his wings. They too had grown, now taking up nearly half his back. The flight feathers, which were once a dreamy, cream color were now a venomous, biting yellow. He still had the small white spot on his under wing though, bringing him some comfort.   
  
Ipsen spread his wings with an aggravated snarl and sent a lightning bolt straight through the mirror, which continued and bit a deep groove in the brick behind the bureau. He felt tears streaming down his cheeks and slammed his fists into the dresser, slightly splintering the fragile wood. The sudden movement caused his sleeves to be completely torn from their already weak seams. He looked over his shoulder and saw a pile of clothes on a chair behind him.   
  
"He's taunting me, he predicted this, he knew all along," Ipsen murmured in disbelief, recalling Kuja's actions. "That bastard!" He shouted and kicked the chair over. Once again, the sudden and violent movement caused another seam to split. He sighed and tried to remove the remains of his shirt, but was unable to get it over his wings. Ipsen, getting very aggravated, violently tore at his sky blue shirt with his talon-tipped fingers and threw the tatters to the ground. He stretched and chuckled. Ipsen didn't no why, but he laughed.   
  
The waltz staggered over to where he had kicked the chair over, still feeling clumsy and awkward with his new body. He sat down to examine the articles of clothing Kuja had given him. He quickly changed into the outfit, not caring what he looked like. "Damn cold room," he muttered, cursing anything that came to mind.  
  
Ipsen would have looked in the mirror, but it was in a million pieces on the floor. He threw on his yellow and green scarf, which clashed with the blood red color of the sweater he was wearing. Ipsen despised the red color of the sweater and buttoned up the long black trench coat he had found. He didn't mind the rest of the outfit though, a pair of light brown pants and a set of thick black boots with heavy silver buckles. Ipsen sighed and laid down on the bed when someone knocked at the door.  
  
"Are you decent hon?" said a gentle voice. It was the servant who had helped him up to his room the night before. "I brought you something to eat."  
  
Ipsen snapped to attention, he had just realized how hungry he was. "Yeah, I'm dressed." The servant unlocked the door from the outside and walked in. She nearly dropped the platter she was holding in surprise.  
  
"Oh my," she said. Aggy remembered her manners and broke away her stare. "I'm sorry, um...here." She handed him a plate which had a pile of eggs, a few strips of bacon and a piece of toast.  
  
"No problem," Ipsen replied and picked up the fork and began devouring his meal.  
  
"Well, finally! Someone who appreciates my cooking." Aggy chuckled. "If you want some more, I'd be glad to bring it up. Get some meat on those bones."  
  
Ipsen nodded. Despite his sudden change in size, Ipsen kept his gaunt physique. "Thanks," he said through a swallow.   
  
"Don't worry about it," she said with a chuckle. Aggy saw he was a bit distraught about something. She bent over and started to give him a small pat on the back, right on the base between his wings. "It'll be alright."  
  
He nodded chirpily and finished his meal, trying to get up every last crumb. Aggy left and locked the door again from the outside before Ipsen could get another word in.   
  
He laid back down in the bed and sighed deeply. Ipsen murmured a question to himself, feeling confused and angry, mixed with guilt and slight blissfulness, all at the same time. "What happened to me?"  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Author's Note: Oh god, this last chapter was so sweet for me....if you don't like it, too bad! I had an unnatural amount of fun typing it. I played hooky today just to type! You should be happy! I knew I wouldn't be able to concentrate at skool if I didn't finish up, it's true! Plus I had a lot of stuff to do for radio and I needed to find that fine tipped permanent marker I lost so I could finish my rant (dealing with this story) on the cover of my sketch book. Remember, I'll type it up and post it if we get 25 reviews by the end of the story!!! I would be so happy, plus you'll get a sneak peek of....oops, said too much. Bye!  
  
~NeoNaoNeo 


	9. Forgotten

Disclaimer: I no own, you no sue. I hope that my stupid life is true! Hwaaaa...!  
  
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Author's Note: Hello to everyone out there in TV land. Okay, story is going to be picking up a lot of velocity from here on out, we're reaching the climax! There will be a few cute-y wute-y parts (I love cute-y wute-y parts!) and a load more violent parts with super happy graphic descriptions. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and as a special present, I will upload as many chapters this week as I have written.   
  
And to LordK, Robin won't reappear until the end of the story....sorry...Probably chapter 15.... I apolgize.   
  
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"The mind can examine the body and tell when its sick. But the mind can't be conscious of its own illness, and the descent into mental deterioration is often unnoticed by the victim."~'Schizophrenia' (I read it for a report for health class, very informative. Lewis Wain!!! Look at his kitties! Go now, look at Lewis Wain's paintings!)  
  
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Chapter 9: Forgotten  
  
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Ipsen's confused thoughts were interrupted by the jingle of keys and the turn of his door's knob. He quickly flipped over and watched the intently as Kuja entered the room, his white outfit and pale features radiated in the dim colors of the small room. Kuja smirked as Ipsen's eyes filled with spite and hatred. "I told you you'd feel better in the morning." he told the mage.  
  
"What the hell...why?!" Ipsen shouted, rolling off the mattress and crouching, still wary on his legs, keeping his wings spread for balance.   
  
"I told you I'd answer your questions, not that it'd so you much good." Kuja explained. "You see, I have a plan for completely annihilating every living being on this earth, besides me and another."  
  
"What good would that do you?!" Ipsen said.  
  
"I'll make this planet a sanctuary for my kind, a neo-Terra." he laughed as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I'll create the genomes, just as Garland did."  
  
"And how did you plan on doing this?" Ipsen said skeptically.  
  
"There is a creature by the name of Frios, a summon. But, unlike Bahamut and Phoenix, this creature can only be summoned when the flowing of the Mist is at its peak." Kuja explained. "And that, my puppet, is where you come in."   
  
Ipsen was quivering with rage. Kuja continued. "You see, the Mist ebbs and flows with the number of souls released from their bodies through death. And, Frios can only be summoned when this flow is unusually high... like in a time of war or..." he paused and grinned, "An army goes on a genocidal rampage. And you, you will be the leader of that army. I would do it, but....I find it so demeaning to be working alongside a whole hoard of soulless dolls!"  
  
Ipsen narrowed his eyes and vanished, reappearing beside Kuja. He raised his arm for a spell, but Kuja beat him to it once again. The mage got up and kept up a fierce physical attack, punching and tearing at his target. Kuja mistepped and Ipsen raked him across the face with his claw-like fingers, leaving four deep, bleeding gashes across Kuja's face, drenching it in blood. Ipsen stopped his attack a moment and gave Kuja a smug look, but was surprised when Kuja began laughing. He cast a cure spell on himself, the wounds closing up, to a certain extent. The deep, bleeding gashes were now four paper thin cuts across Kuja's face, although blood still dribbled off his chin as evidence they were just open and possibly lethal.   
  
Ipsen snarled and went to tackle Kuja once again, but stumbled and fell over his own feet. Kuja laughed at Ipsen's clumsiness. "Come now, you'll have to do much better than that my boy."  
  
Kuja closed his eyes and summoned up a powerful Thunder spell to paralyze the waltz, but not to injure him too bad. He smiled and removed another vial and syringe from his pocket. Kuja's face lightened, as though covering up a sense of regret or guilt.  
  
"Wh-what is it?" Ipsen choked out, his lungs aching and burning at every breath taken in.   
  
"An antidote of sorts," he mused.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"You'll go back to your normal, small, clumsy self." Kuja sighed and tossed him the vial. "Hurry up, before I change my mind."  
  
Ipsen picked up the syringe and looked at Kuja. "Why would I need this, why don't you let me go? Why should I trust you?" Ipsen fired off.  
  
"Because, you think your father would be thrilled you coming home as you are, bearing such an uncanny resemblance to Black Waltz No. 3?" Kuja patronized. Ipsen winced, knowing he was right. He didn't know how he knew, but Ipsen knew. "Now, do we want it or not?"   
  
Ipsen nodded. What did he have to lose? "Good choice," Kuja said.  
  
"This will get me back to my old self," Ipsen questioned. "No tricks?"  
  
"Of course," Kuja said with a smirk as he took the syringe and pushed it, once again, between the mage's wings. Ipsen's face contorted with severe pain. Kuja pulled the needle out, although it still hurt as though it was still lodged in his skin. His face lit up with transparent surprise.   
  
Ipsen began feeling tired and slightly stupid, his eyelids were beginning to droop from a combination of both. He was too out of it to make a comment when Kuja broke the silence. "Oops! This was the wrong vial! I guess you'll be serving under me after all. All you'll remember is your spells and alliance to me. Hah, I can't even promise you'll remember how to talk! Oh well, I guess we'll see soon, hm?"  
  
Ipsen yawned, too tired to reply and slipped into a forced slumber.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Vivi had sent a moogle to Alexandria, hoping of finding Ipsen's whereabouts.   
  
"Hopefully he just went to Alexandria, I'm sure he did," Vivi tried convincing himself. "To visit Robin."  
  
But when the moogle brought back the letter, Vivi's heart sank.  
  
Dear Vivi,  
  
We got your moogle, but I'm afraid Ipsen hasn't been here for a few months. If he does come by, we'll tell him you're looking for him.  
  
Sincerely,  
  
Garnet and Zidane  
  
Vivi sighed. He didn't know why he was so worried. Ipsen was fifteen already and Vivi had been eight when he had started fending for himself.   
  
"He can take care of himself," Vivi murmured aloud, but still felt guilty and worried.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Ipsen looked about the black void that pressed around him, now a child of six, his whole body shaking with fright and isolation. He pulled his downy wings closer to himself, as though it would fend off the darkness. Ipsen gave a small snivel, when he heard what sounded like talking, and laughing! He stumbled. "Hello!? Who's there? Please, anyone?"  
  
He began walking to where he heard the voices and, finding Blank and Zidane kidding around, giving each other playful shoves and taunts. "Zidane!"   
  
Zidane didn't turn around, neither of them did. Ipsen squinted his eyes. There was something odd about them. "Zidane!" he shouted again, still no response. Just then, he heard a loud bang and a click from overhead. Ipsen looked up and caught a glimpse of something enormous right falling right above Zidane and Blank. "Blank! Zidane! Look out!" They turned around just in time for the object to overtake them and plunge them into the ground. Ipsen's eyes widened when the object was expected to crush the two, but instead, all three, Blank, Zidane and the large object, sunk noiselessly into the shadowy floor of the void.   
  
Ipsen merely stared for a moment. He looked around and saw Garnet. He ran toward her, but another object fell, making the queen disappear. Freya, Amarant, Eiko, Steiner, Quina, one by one, vanished.  
  
He spun around. Robin was standing there, as though nothing had happened to her mother or any of the others. Movement above stirred the blackness above. "Robin! No!!!!" He dove at her, but she was gone. Ipsen sobbed when he heard Vivi.  
  
"D-dad?" he said, falling over himself, still in tears. Vivi was behind him a few feet, also crying. Ipsen stood up, but hesitated to go to Vivi, remembering what had happened to everyone else. He ignored his better judgment and threw himself at Vivi. "Dad!" Nothing stirred overhead.   
  
Vivi wiped the tears from his eyes and held onto Ipsen fondly, clutching the child as close to his body as possible. Ipsen buried his face in Vivi's shirt, savoring the small mage's warmth. "I'm sorry," Ipsen cried, and tightened his embrace.  
  
Vivi shook his head, tears still rolling down his cheeks. "Sh-sh-sh," Vivi coaxed. "It's alright."  
  
"I didn't mean it, I swear." Ipsen continued, his downy wings trembling from his cries. "I don't hate you."  
  
Ipsen snapped to attention when he noticed movement, right above them. "Dad! Get outta the way, it's coming!"  
  
"What are you..." Vivi started, but was cut off as the object was upon the two of them. All Ipsen felt was a sudden blast of cold air and then he was alone again. Vivi had vanished like the others.   
  
Ipsen whimpered and looked around, his trembles increased when he heard a sulky and deep voice mumbling to itself to his right. He pricked his ears but all he could understand out of the muffled commentary was the occasional sniffle and "I only exist to kill", although the statement was said quizzing and unsure.   
  
Ipsen followed the voice and saw another person, huddled over himself, holding his long legs close to his body, taloned digits fidgeting and twiddling a moon topped staff. "He has wings too," Ipsen muttered to himself, seeing the other black mage's broad blue and yellow appendages clasped to his back. Ipsen's mood brightened, this was the first time he had ever seen anyone like him, another winged black mage.  
  
He still doubted the choice of greeting the creature. The other mage was huddled over in an unnatural and crooked position and talking to himself. Ipsen thought for a moment he was insane, but continued studying the creature with childish curiosity. His black trench coat was unbuckled, showing a deep, bloody red sweater and a full blue plumage around his throat. His black boots, which were adorned with heavy, sluggish looking buckles, came up to mid leg and a pair of light brown pants were tucked into them in a clumsy fashion. The other mage looked up to Ipsen.  
  
"Oh, hello," he said, studying Ipsen intently.  
  
Ipsen waved shyly. "What are you doing here little one?" the large waltz asked.  
  
"I-I don't know," Ipsen said, still slightly trembling. "I just want to go home!"  
  
Ipsen began crying again as the larger mage stood up and put an arm around him. "Calm down, how'd you get here?" he asked Ipsen.  
  
"I don't know, I just want to leave!"  
  
The waltz sat down again and firmly held his staff straight. "It's not so bad here. You'll see."   
  
"No! It's not safe, I..." he saw movement above. He hardly knew this other mage, but at least it was better taking to someone than being alone. "Look out!"   
  
The waltz looked up nonchalantly. "Oh, those never get me." he chuckled.  
  
"But...who else is...gah!" he was cut off by the large object's force. The large waltz stood alone in the void, sighed and continued fiddling with his staff as though nothing had happened.  
  
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Author's Note: Aloha! Lotsa fun doing this story and I have a trilogy on the black waltzes I'm planning on doing (I'm not obsessed!) and then the sequel of this, so I'll be amused for awhile. But I also have a crapload of projects I'm working on. My project for Brit. Lit., radio crap, the comic I'm working on, a scarf for my boyfriend for Christmas (not kidding! Don't tell him though! ^_~)  
  
Thank you for your reviews everyone! Keep it up!  
  
~NeoNaoNeo 


	10. Luna

Disclaimer: I no own, you no sue.  
  
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Author's Note: Hey hey. If anyone out there wants to RP or just IM me, my screen name for AIM is BlackWaltzPinion (Not obsessed! NOT OBSESSED!!!) I really like getting random IMs, so feel free!  
  
And with this chapter, I don't hate Amarant! Well, he is extremely annoying and an all together pointless character, but still! I'm not hatin'! You'll see!  
  
~NeoNaoNeo  
  
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"Yay! I got mail! I got mail, yaaaay!!!"~ Special Ed, 'Crank Yankers'  
  
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Chapter 10: Luna  
  
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Ipsen stretched and yawned, feeling relieved and somewhat blissful. It was still dark outside, as it always was, making it impossible to tell the time of day. The waltz didn't want to get out from under the warm covers, so he pulled them over his wings again and laid back down. Ipsen began drifting back off to sleep when the door opened and a familiar voice sounded. " I brought up some soup and a couple rolls for you." Aggy said, and walked into the cold room. "Ooh, aren't you cold up here darling?"   
  
Ipsen shook his head and let go of the blanket. In fact, he was feeling a little hot. Ipsen unbuttoned his trench coat and removed his scarf. "Hope you like minestrone." Aggy chuckled.  
  
"I do," he replied quietly and took his food. The servant noticed he was being awfully quiet and piped up.  
  
"You alright? You seem off," Aggy shrugged.  
  
"I'm fine," Ipsen replied after taking a gulp of soup.   
  
"Alright, just remember, if there's anything you need just holler, you hear?" she coaxed and once again patted him on the back between his broad wings.   
  
Ipsen jerked away and swung his arm, catching the woman by the wrist and sinking his fingers deep into her flesh. She cried out. The waltz narrowed his eyes. He wasn't ordered to kill her, so that urge was easily pushed away. He released her.   
  
"Sorry, I don't like being touched there." he apologized, turning away. The woman groaned, holding her wrist. Ipsen stood up and quickly picked up his scarf to cover the wound he had given her. She gladly accepted it as Ipsen tied it tightly around her wrist. Aggy bit her lip nervously and watched Ipsen for a moment. She finally broke the silence.  
  
"Kuja also said he had something to give you," she reported and began walking out. "I'll show you to his quarters."  
  
Ipsen nodded and followed her out the door. The hallway was lined with lit torches, the flames burning a deep orange. "Over here," Aggy motioned nervously. Great, she's afraid of me now, Ipsen thought to himself. She held open the door for him and left as soon as Ipsen was in the room.  
  
"Hello there," Kuja greeted nonchalantly, looking up from a book. The room was Kuja's study, telling by the hundreds upon thousands of books sitting on the wall-to-wall shelves. Kuja stared at him a few moments. "I have something I want to give you, but I need to ask you a few questions first."  
  
"Shoot," Ipsen replied, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.  
  
"What's my name?" Kuja asked.  
  
"It's Kuja of course," Ipsen replied, confused by this obvious question.  
  
"And yours?"   
  
"I---" Ipsen stopped and thought. He thought for a moment, did he even have a name? Ipsen asked himself. "I don't know."  
  
"I see, well I guess my little formula worked then," Kuja chuckled to himself.  
  
"Do I have a name?" Ipsen asked, now curious. Kuja didn't mind this curiosity and self-awareness. It was probably the only thing that separated the waltzes from the mage soldiers, besides their wings, although Ipsen still seemed too innocent for his liking.  
  
"You're Black Waltz Number 4," Kuja told him. "Do you know what your purpose is?"  
  
"My only purpose is to kill," Ipsen reported chirpily, proud of himself for knowing the answer.   
  
"Very good," Kuja said in tone of voice one would use to congratulate a five year old. This was much easier than I thought it would be. he thought to himself. "Now, down to business." Kuja said and set his book down.  
  
Ipsen watched as Kuja made his way across the cluttered room and came back. "I have something for you," Kuja said. He held out a handsome oak staff, topped with a gold moon. Ipsen gingerly grasped the staff and examined it as Kuja spoke, noticing the sharp tips of the moon. "It belonged to Black Waltz No. 3 and I'm hoping you'll wield it better than he did."  
  
Ipsen ran his finger along the edge and noticed the words 'Odin, 6 weeks' were scratched near the bottom of the staff. He ignored it and continued observing the workmanship of the oak pile. Kuja cleared his throat, causing Ipsen to snap to attention. "So, are you going to try it out?" Kuja asked coolly.  
  
"What do you mean?" Ipsen said, looking back to his new weapon.  
  
"Well, if you want," Kuja started out. "You can go around town. There's usually something to do."  
  
Ipsen's yellow eyes lit up into a smile. "I can go, really?"   
  
"Yes, of course." Kuja nodded and picked up his book again. "You don't think I'd keep you cooped up in here all day?"  
  
"No, I just..."  
  
"Go on, have some fun," Kuja chuckled.  
  
Ipsen complied and left.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
The twin moons illuminated the large lake with their reflections, being ever present in that town of everlasting night. Ipsen sat at the edge, watching the ripples dreamily, nearly falling asleep. He dipped a finger in the cold water and swilled it around a bit, feeling completely bored. He pricked his ears, listening to any noises possible, the crickets drowning out the confused mass of static noise the people in town made. Ipsen dipped the edge of his wing in the water playfully and allowed it to run a course on his feathers, enjoying the coolness of the water.   
  
Ipsen snapped to attention when he heard a child's giggles nearby. His feathers rested, once again, flatly on his wings as he dismissed the noise. Ipsen turned his attention to the peaceful lake side once again when a shove upset his balance. A gruff child's voice sounded behind him. "Ha ha! I got you I got you!" A chorus of mocking laughter ensued as the children began running to the docks overlooking the lake, as to not get caught.  
  
Ipsen pulled himself out of the freezing cold water, clothes dripping and feathers draggled with the water. He opened his wings and gave them a few sturdy, indignant flaps to dry the off. He turned his attention to the docks, where the children were hiding out, still laughing at Ipsen's expense. Ipsen took off his coat and draped it over his arm. He grinned and teleported to the place where they were hiding.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
"Oh man! That was toooo funny!" one of the children guffawed, pounding a fist on the wood.  
  
"Yeah, you really out did yourself Bottom." a feline demi-human laughed.  
  
"Almost better than that time you de-pantsed that noble guy!" the first kid replied.  
  
"Yeah," the third kid said nonchalantly, leaning against a barnacle incrusted post. "But come on, that guy was just askin' for it. Not paying attention at all. Pfft, great place to day dream num nuts."  
  
All three joined in collective laugh until Ipsen appeared behind the two children facing the lake. The one leaning on the post stopped his laughing in the waltz's menacing presence, and signaled the others to stop as well. "What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" the demi-human asked jokingly.  
  
"No, I think he's just trying to save your hides." Ipsen chuckled behind them, although he wasn't as intimidating as he wanted to be, clothes and hat still wet, his throat feathers clinging pathetically to his skin.  
  
The three joined in a collective laugh, although it was short lived. "Come on, can't you take a joke?" the third said, returning to his inclined position against the post.  
  
"Of course," Ipsen said jokingly. "And you?"  
  
"Sure we can," he replied and shrugged. "Why, what you got?"  
  
Ipsen raised his staff, causing an earsplitting crack of thunder and a peel of lightning to strike the post supporting the dock. It cracked and fell in a shower of sparks and flames, taking a good portion of the dock with it, including the ground beneath the group's feet. Ipsen merely spread his wings as the wharf and three children plummeted to the icy cold water, avoiding his own trap. Their screams were stifled when they hit the water, falling from nearly twenty feet. The children along with the barnacle encrusted wood, sank beneath the shadowy surface of the water. Ipsen chuckled, still levitating in the air, and adjusted his wet hat. He shouted below.  
  
"Pretty funny, huh?" he taunted when no more bubbles rose to the surface. He nonchalantly took a couple flaps backwards and landed easily on the wooden surface. A few items vendors were staring, but averted their gazes as Ipsen put his coat back on and looked about. He grinned to himself began heading away from the slums.   
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
"Finish him! Finish him!!!!" the crowd shouted at the two contestants in the ring. Amarant held a man by the collar, cat claws to his throat. Amarant dropped the man and then, with lightning quickness, punched his throat, puncturing it with the deadly cat claws. The crowd went wild with excitement as the man died slowly from blood loss.  
  
Amarant wiped the blood off his claws with his shirt in a bored fashion. He always liked a good fight, especially one where the loser was put to death. He grinned and thought of his fight with Zidane. "He still owes me that rematch," Amarant chuckled. The crowd parted nervously as the black waltz made his way through. Amarant looked up from his weapon to Ipsen.  
  
"I demand a fight," the waltz demanded assertively. Amarant gazed at the mage and spotted the small, distinct white patch of feathers on his under wing. He immediately recognized Ipsen by this mark, but doubted it, seeing the waltz's size and aggressiveness.  
  
"Ipsen? What happened to you?" Amarant asked, crossing his arms.  
  
"My name's not Ipsen," the waltz said. "It's Black Waltz 4, or just Four if you prefer." he introduced himself.  
  
"Did you develop schizophrenia overnight or somethin'?" Amarant joked, and noticed Ipsen didn't look amused. He was serious. Amarant huffed. "Your dad's worried sick about ya."  
  
"I know not of who you mean," Ipsen shrugged. "Now, are you going to give me a good fight or am I going to have to slaughter you without one?"  
  
Amarant shuddered, uncharacteristically, at this remark. "Alright, I'll tell Vivi I saw you," Amarant chuckled. "And I'll be the first to tell him how you were tragically killed at my hands."  
  
"Alright, if you really think you can beat me," Ipsen sighed, a slight tone of arrogance entering his voice. "Shall we?"  
  
Amarant was the first to strike as he dove at Ipsen, cat claws upraised, but only slashed thin air when Ipsen vanished and reappeared behind a very confused Amarant. The man growled and turned around, catching the waltz's wing with his knuckle weapon. Ipsen flipped his wing, throwing off the scant traces of blood, and raised his staff. Amarant charged at Ipsen again, but the waltz teleported again and drove the brunt of the staff into his back.   
  
Amarant grunted and fell to the ground. Before he could pick himself up, Ipsen swung his staff and, with the accuracy of a sickle, drove the sharp curve of the moon through Amarant's temple. Ipsen grinned at his handiwork. "'The first to tell him how I was tragically killed at your hand' hm?"   
  
Surprised murmurs and whispers circulated throughout the crowd. Their champion, The Flaming Amarant, had just been slaughtered with no mercy from his opponent. Many of them were offended by how easily Ipsen dismissed this subject as he began walking away. Finally, after a few moments of silence, a die-hard fan of Amarant's ran from the crowd and shouted a challenging statement to the waltz. "You coward! Using magic is a wuss's way out! How could you kill him so easily and just walk away!?" he yelled, every sentence more ironic and ignorant then the last.  
  
Ipsen turned around and walked up to him, arms behind his back. With a slightly teasing and unstable voice he chuckled, "I only exist to kill." Ipsen bent over a moment, shifting his weight from toes to his heels and back to his soles, and then straightened up. The man opened his mouth, but was interrupted by Ipsen. "He gave me a reason, not very much reason, but humility isn't much, is it? Do you want to give me a reason to have fun?"  
  
The man looked at the waltz, his eyes were slightly crooked, part from confusion and part from fear. "You got a nut loose," he muttered to Ipsen. "You're crazy!"  
  
"Crazy?" Ipsen repeated. "'A nut loose?'"  
  
"You can't just go around killing people!" the man shouted.   
  
"Why not? Are you going to stop me?" Ipsen challenged, pointing with his bloodied staff.  
  
The man glared at him, not wanting to anger Ipsen, but at the same time, offended by Amarant's death. "I thought not." Ipsen said. "I'll be going," he grinned and put a moon tip under the man's chin. "Perhaps I can have some fun with you next time our paths cross."  
  
Ipsen violently shoved the man back into the crowd. The people caught him and watched as Ipsen began walking westward toward the Auction House.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*` 


	11. Mist Guardian

Disclaimer: I no own, you no sue.  
  
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Author's Note: Hey all. Nothin' much to say, besides Happy Hanukkah ,Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Cheery Kitty Love Day and what have you. Oh, apologies for the numerous scene changes in this chapter, I'm starting to get a little bit lazy.   
  
A special thank you goes out to Warior, s/he seems to be the only person reading and reviewing here. Please review after you've read the story or if you've already reviewed, send one on an updated chapter. It's not that hard! Watch!  
  
*sends herself review it reads;  
  
NeoNaoNeo  
  
Hey NeoNaoNeo, you are so awesome! And you have the coolest desktop EVER! Plus Kurt Wagner, Bakura and Kurama are fighting over you! Keep up the good work you hottie!  
  
See? Not that hard! Well, now that my ego has increased three sizes, enjoy the story!  
  
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"Exactly, what is the purpose of a rubber duck?"~Mr. Weasley, 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'  
  
*`*`*`**`*`*`*`  
  
Chapter 11: Mist Guardian  
  
*`*`*`*`**`*`*`  
  
"Have a good time?" Kuja asked the waltz, crossing his arms. Ipsen nodded. "Good, well I need you to go to the Outer Continent."  
  
"Alright," Ipsen said submissively.  
  
"You have two things to do there," Kuja continued. "First, you are to revive a creature within the Iifa tree, a creature by the name of Soul Cage."  
  
"How will I find it?"  
  
"The Iifa tree is very easy to find, the pilot of the airship knows where it is." Kuja shrugged. "SoulCage can easily be mistaken for a fallen tree or Stromper, but his body would not have decayed over the years. You can revive him with a Death spell."  
  
"Alright," Ipsen said.  
  
"The next thing you are to do," Kuja grinned. "There is a small village in a dead forest inhabited by genomes and black mages. I want you destroy it, leave no survivors, except for a girl by the name of Mikoto. I need you to capture her and bring her to me."  
  
Ipsen once again nodded. "Now go, there's an airship outside town. The pilot's name is Sirus."   
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
The ride across the ocean and to the Outer Continent was surprisingly fast and smooth. It was mid morning by time they had reached the Iifa Tree, the sky was slightly over cast with thin wisps and bunches of white clouds. Ipsen watched as the scenery sped below from the deck of the small airship. As they neared the Iifa Tree, the clouds become more dense and shadowy, when the airship jerked to a halt. It had landed on a high plateau near the tree and the pilot signaled to Ipsen. "Sorry! This is as close as we'll be able to get!" the pilot called. "I'll be here until you're done, okay?"   
  
"Alright," Ipsen replied with a grunt. He spread his wings and gave them a few sturdy flaps, lifting himself well off the wooden deck. With a swift and controlled snap of his left wing, Ipsen spun around and began making his way towards the Iifa Tree.  
  
Ipsen looked the tree over, its shape reminded him of a wiry skeleton, gnarled roots and vines made bridges and passages to the trunk. Draco Zombies still lived among the brambles, although they were few and sparse in number, adding to the dead feeling of the tree as a whole. Ipsen made an uneasy descent toward an opening in the trunk of the tree, hoping he wouldn't catch the attention of any monsters.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
The inside of the Iifa Tree was even less inviting than the outside, every wall and crevice seemed to be alive with insects and rodents. Ipsen began exploring, looking for a passage to go deeper into the tree, but to no avail. The waltz sighed and sat down on the ground.   
  
"Kuja sent me on a wild goose chase it looks like," Ipsen grumbled, and then noticed a strange pattern on the ground near him, like a large, elaborately decorated circle, although it was worn and covered with withered vines. He leaned over and placed his hand on it. The patterns glowed for a few moments and then faded away. Ipsen smiled.   
  
He quickly got up and cautiously put a foot on the circle. The vines cracked and broke as the panel began a slow and calm descent, going lower and lower into the ground. Ipsen quickly jumped on it before it got too far down. It wasn't before long that Ipsen found himself stepping off the odd elevator and onto the bramble floor once again. Eerie green lanterns hung from the wall, illuminating the otherwise dark corridor.   
  
At the end, there was a large, green, spiral pillar leading downwards to a trickling spring. Ipsen leaned over the edge near the odd pillar, seeing how far down it went. He spread his wings once again and let himself fall over the edge.   
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Ipsen nearly fell into the brook of shimmering green water, the fall was so long it almost felt natural after the first thirty seconds. But Ipsen caught sight of the quickly approaching water, stiffened his wings and flew up to an overhanging perch. He couldn't help but watch the water for a few moments. It felt so familiar....like a long forgotten story he had been told many years ago....He shook off this feeling of recognition and clambered up a ladder. Ipsen spotted the creature he was to revive. The waltz walked cautiously across the bramble floor, keeping a tight grip on his staff.  
  
The creature that once refined and circulated the Mist, SoulCage, lay in a large heap in the middle of the massive chamber, shoulders hunched pathetically. Ipsen murmured the incantation to the Death spell, but the creature remained still. A few moments passed before the sound of trickling water echoed throughout the room. Ipsen turned back, noticing that the water was now flowing over a branch to the pool below like a miniature waterfall. He turned his gaze back to SoulCage when a low, inhuman, growling groan joined the sound of trickling water.  
  
The creature rose to full height, its mouth opening and closing rhythmically. SoulCage was slightly dazed from this sudden revival, but caught sight of the waltz and chuckled, immediately awake. His sly voice filled Ipsen's mind as he spoke. "To whom am I indebted to mage?"  
  
"I was sent by Kuja," Ipsen replied. He quickly added, "And I am Black Waltz Number 4, not some black mage."  
  
SoulCage snorted a harsh laugh. "It's all the same, you're all the same," SoulCage mused. "Kuja you say? On what conditions was my revival?"  
  
"None to my knowledge." Ipsen responded, beginning to feel offended by this creature's ignorant attitude. Same as a black mage indeed!  
  
"I grow weary of you," SoulCage yawned. "Go now, before I get rid of you."  
  
Ipsen was taken back by this contemptuous statement, but he complied. The waltz spread his wings and flew up the trunk. SoulCage chuckled. "I'm onto you Kuja. I'll let you have fun with your game for awhile and then I'll make sure you don't threaten my planet anymore."  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
The clouds were beginning to cluster together as Ipsen easily coasted on the air currents over the dying forest. He squinted his eyes, searching for any clearing or sign of a village. He then noticed an odd spot of trees that looked ill colored, thinner than the rest. It had to be the village Kuja told him about. He drew his wings closer to him and dove into the thicket.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
A few genomes loitered about the hidden village, their children running about cheerfully despite the looming rain clouds. Mr. 288, the sole survivor of the black mages from Alexandria's attack, leaned against a pillar near his usual post at the cemetery. He looked up to the sky, watching the rain clouds rolling along. One of the genome children ran to the black mage, jet black hair swaying and amber eyes brimming with tears. It was Mr. 734's daughter, and Mr. 288 always had a particular soft spot for the yellow-eyed girl.  
  
"Mr. 288!" she cried, clinging to his waistcoat.  
  
"What's wrong Mia?" Mr. 288 asked and put an arm around the girl's back.  
  
"There's a black mage and he has wings and he's scary." Mia reported softly.  
  
Mr. 288 chuckled. "Wings you say?"  
  
She nodded. "Big blue ones with a spot."  
  
"Don't worry, that's Ipsen," Mr. 288 explained, smoothing the child's hair. "He's a friend of mine's son."  
  
"But he's..." Mia started off, but was interrupted by a clap of thunder and a peel of lightning, followed by collective screams.  
  
Mikoto ran out of a nearby hut, her golden brown hair now hung to mid-back. "What happened?" she panted.  
  
"I don't know," Mr. 288 told her, grabbing his staff. He noticed smoke and the tips of flames, the smell of burning corpses contaminating the air. His eyes grew with terror. "Oh my God..."  
  
Mikoto looked to Mia. "Go hide in the forest, get as many people out of here as possible." she instructed firmly. The young girl nodded and ran off. Mikoto unsheathed her dagger and glanced to Mr. 288.  
  
The mage returned her gaze and the two began running toward the entrance of the village.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
The buildings easily caught on fire, the wood and straw was quickly devoured by the flames, spreading like an epidemic. The genome inhabitants either stood their ground and tried to fight the waltz off or tried to flee. Either way, they were easily killed and defeated, Ipsen savoring the sound of their screams and the stench of their charred bodies. He cackled mercilessly as he raised himself off the ground to pick off any survivors that may have escaped into the wood, but a twist of flames surrounded him in mid-air and caused him to fall to the dusty earth below. Mr. 288 was glaring at the waltz, hand upraised for another attack.  
  
Mr. 288 narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing here?" he asked calmly, although it was said with a contemptuous air. Ipsen stood up, his wings hanging limply at his sides for the moment. The waltz chuckled and lifted his appendages onto his back, as though it proved he was superior to the black mage before him.  
  
"I was sent to destroy this village," he replied solemnly. "And all of its inhabitants. Thundaga!"  
  
"Mr. 288!" Mikoto shouted as she picked up on Ipsen's spell. Against her better judgment, she shoved Mr. 288 out of the way of the deadly spell, getting caught in it herself.  
  
The black mage stumbled and fell, but picked himself up in time to see Mikoto be torn apart by the spell. "Mikoto!" he cried and reached toward her, but he was too late. The genome fell to the ground, her life extinguished. Mr. 288, feeling as helpless as he did the day he escaped from Queen Brahne's ranks, knelt down beside her. His eyes were filling with tears. "Mikoto..." he murmured.  
  
"So, this girl is the one they call Mikoto," Ipsen mused, suddenly remembering he was supposed to capture her....alive. He gulped. Kuja would have his head for this screw-up.  
  
Mr. 288 glared at Ipsen, his eyes still full of tears. The black waltz looked around him, all the buildings were ablaze, the dead lay in heaps on the dusty roads. Ipsen spread his wings, utterly humbled by this mistake and headed back to the airship.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Author's Note: Okay, I'll have a special surprise for you guys if you review for this chapter!!! It has to do with Christmas and black mages and little chibi anime people! I think I'm coming down with the flu or somethin', so hopefully I'll get out of skool until Friday, (today's Wed. Dec. 10). I've already written up to chapter 13, but it always sucks in my notebook so it takes me awhile to type. Oh well! Peace out y'all.  
  
~NeoNaoNeo 


	12. Rally the Troops

Disclaimer: *sung to tune of 'We wish You a merry Christmas'* I don't own Final Fantasy or an-y of its characters. I wish that I did though, 'cause then I'd be rich!  
  
I'm writ-ing this story for fun because I am a los-er with no outside life!  
  
Now bring me a figgy pudding, just like a good little mind slave. You will bring me freakin' pudding, or no more updates!  
  
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Author's Note: *is eating figgy pudding* Mmmmm! Fun disclaimer, huh? Just gettin' into the spirit of the season, plus I'm sick again! I have to finish Chemistry homework and write an essay for Reading.....ah well, doing this is getting me into the mood of doing it. I'm kidding aboot the fig pudding thing, so don't worry no more updates.  
  
Oh, another thing! For those of you that have played Kingdom Hearts, please tell me if the black waltzes do or don't make an appearance. I saw a fan fiction based on them in the Kingdom Hearts section so I asked my friend online and he affirmed my hopes. But then I asked for further assurance on a message board I am on and a local video game store and they said no, they weren't so I don't know! And THEN my two friends in chess club said they saw them and I also asked a Japanese kid that played the game....in Japanese!...and he said he didn't see them! So I am confoozled....Jesus, I AM obsessed.  
  
~NeoNaoNeo  
  
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"Look, the trees are becoming friendly!"~.....eh...Teela maybe? 'He-Man'  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Chapter 12: Rally the troops  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
"You stupid, bloodthirsty fool!" Kuja said, striking Ipsen down with almost no effort. "How could you kill her?"  
  
"It won't happen again, I swear," Ipsen promised and slowly got up, holding his side and grabbing his staff. Kuja glared at the waltz, his cruel green eyes glimmering with vexation. With another heave, Kuja knocked Ipsen back onto the floor and grabbed his wing.  
  
"Not obeying orders," Kuja chuckled. "Someone needs a little punishment." He taunted and yanked the waltz's appendage. Ipsen said nothing, the pain being very mild and short-lived. When Kuja noticed this and quickly pressed his foot on Ipsen's back as he jerked, now more ferociously and violently then before. Ipsen felt as though Kuja would tear them right off if he didn't do something. The only thing he did was finally cry out in pain after another tug, tears starting to run down his eyes. Kuja laughed in scorn.   
  
"The general of my soon-to-be army is crying like a helpless child," he spat contemptuously. "Perhaps you're better off without these, I'll remove them feather by feather." Kuja continued laughing as he plucked a feather from Ipsen's already sore wing. The waltz snapped at this statement. It was the only thing that separated him from the black mage soldiers. Without his precious wings he would be no better than them! Panicked, he invoked the explosion of a Fira spell, throwing Kuja against a wall. Ipsen quickly scrambled to his feet, frightened by his own actions, folded his wings on his back in an apologetic fashion and watched Kuja for a moment, somewhat afraid of Kuja's counterstrike. But Kuja didn't retaliate. Instead, he got up and laughed, wiping some blood off of his arm.  
  
"So, you think I'll let you get away with that treasonous act?" Kuja chuckled and got up, his eyes narrowed in a menacing way. Ipsen refused to back down, not knowing what have given him the strength to go against everything he had been tied to. He was still slightly afraid as Kuja sauntered up to him with a cocky smirk on his face, looking ready to strike again. He reached up and Ipsen winced, ready for a painful blow, but instead received a playful ruffle of his feathers. Kuja grinned at Ipsen's confused look. "You didn't mean that, did you?"  
  
Ipsen shook his head no. "Good," Kuja cooed. "But let that be lesson to you. Don't cross me. Luckily for you, Mikoto is quite replaceable."  
  
The waltz bit his lip, his mouth was now tainted with the taste of blood. He swallowed and watched as Kuja walked a circle around him. The man sighed and pulled a pocket watch from his robes. "Hmm, one o' clock. The workers from Dali should be unloading...Come on, we're taking a field trip."  
  
Kuja began walking out of his study, Ipsen tagging along.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
The pair's walk led them out of the auction house and out of Treno, to a night darkened field near the woods where an old fashioned Cargo ship was being unloaded by a multitude of workers, all adult and all from the town of Dali. There was another airship there, a large, elaborately decorated one, with the words 'Hilde Garde' painted in silver letters on the side. Ipsen watched curiously as the Dali men hauled and heaved boxes and barrels from the airship, working in unison as they moved them down the line to the middle of the field. From there, the women and teenage boys took over, cracking open the cylinders and pulling out the coffin-like crates within.  
  
Ipsen looked to Kuja. "What are they doing?" he asked.  
  
"Assembling our army," Kuja replied nonchalantly.  
  
"What do you mean?" Ipsen implored, looking to Kuja.  
  
Kuja walked up to the coffin that the women cracked up and grinned when the lid was lifted off. A black mage with a deep green waistcoat, neatly buttoned with black buttons, and light brown pants, which were stitched over its feet like a pair of toddler's footie pajamas. The workers literally dumped it out of the box, its heavy set body landing with a loud thump. The mage's eyes opened and it got to its feet with a mechanical motion. Ipsen looked to Kuja.  
  
Kuja chuckled. "Now we just wait for them to finish unloading our cargo and we'll be at Lindblum by nightfall."  
  
A few of the workers gave Kuja an odd look at this statement. The man grumbled slightly and cleared his throat. "I'm paying you people, aren't I?"  
  
They were quickly reassured by this comment and continued their work. Kuja sighed. "Humans, easily manipulated, aren't they?"  
  
"Aren't you...?" Ipsen started off, but was interrupted by Kuja.  
  
"Hardly!" he retorted.  
  
Ipsen decided not to question the matter any further. By this time, four black mages stood altogether in a cluster, looking blankly into space, as though they didn't see each other.  
  
"What's wrong?" Kuja asked.  
  
"Nothing," Ipsen said stoutly.  
  
"Hey! Look at this one!" a woman called to Kuja. He sighed and rolled his eyes.   
  
"What is it?" he grumbled angrily at the woman as he walked over. The stout worker easily lifted a small black mage from its coffin-like crate. It was nearly half the size of all the others, with a unique pattern of red, orange and yellow autumn leaves embroidered on its pant leg. Kuja arched an eyebrow and inspected it. The small mage seemed functional as it looked to Kuja, its yellow eyes were as empty and blank as the others'.  
  
"Hm, come here." Kuja ordered Ipsen, beckoning along with a hand signal. Ipsen complied. "Take care of this runt, would you?"  
  
Ipsen looked at the small mage. "Runt?" he repeated, this term slightly jogging a memory. He thought for a moment, but the possibility of a revelation was lost once again. "Why get rid of him just because he's small?" Ipsen questioned. He could sense that his magic was just as powerful, if not more so, than the others.  
  
Kuja thought a moment. "Alright, alright," Kuja caved in. He no longer cared about perfection of his ranks anymore, all of them were just obedient, blood-thirsty dolls, no longer a way for him to gain money and approval in Garland's eyes. Ipsen gave a slight smile and looked to the small mage. He didn't even realize Ipsen had just saved his life. The waltz sighed and spread his wings, just to stretch. "It seems that they're finished unloading. Get them onto that airship over there and await my instructions." Kuja commanded.  
  
Ipsen complied and walked over to the unorganized cluster of black mages. The army was composed of fifty or so black mages, all sharing the same stout, muscular stature and uniform soulless stare. Ipsen whistled to get their attention. They all turned to Ipsen at one time, slightly surprising him. "Alright, get onto that airship." Ipsen said, pointing with his staff.  
  
They obeyed and marched into the Hilde Garde's cargo hold, the runt toddling along with the group with as much confidence as the rest of them. When the last mage got onto the ship, Ipsen slid the door close. Kuja watched as Ipsen landed near him.  
  
"Orders?" Ipsen asked.  
  
"Once you are at Lindblum, you and the rest of them will kill, destroy, burn as many inhabitants of that town as possible. If your numbers go below half of what you have now, withdraw to the plains until the next morning where we will be focusing an attack on Burmecia," Kuja said in a solemn voice. "Do you have that?"  
  
Ipsen nodded.  
  
"Good, now go. You're wasting precious moonlight," Kuja remarked, knowing how his troops did much better in the shadows and night then any human could imagine. Ipsen spread his wings again and flew onto the deck of the airship and they were off. 


	13. I'll See You Again

Disclaimer: *now to tune of Jingle Bells!* I no own! You no sue! I'm wri-ting a  
  
sto-ry! About Vivi's son who kills every-one in chapter-oni! Hey!  
  
*`*`*`*``*  
  
Author's Note: Also...about the sequel for this story....eh yeah, it kinda evolved  
  
into a story all on its own that I decided to do separate. Heh, heh heh. If you're  
  
pissed off....REVIEW! And tell me how much you hate my guts! But that means  
  
that this story will be extended, so you have reason to be happy. We ALL have  
  
reasons to be happy. Like me getting PS2 and Kingdom Hearts for Christmas.  
  
*dances*  
  
Oh, and I'm reserving this chapter for Christmas day, seeing as it's the chapter  
  
where we finally see horrifically graphic descriptions and gore! Whoo, Christmas  
  
time carnage! *cheers*  
  
~NeoNaoNeo  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*  
  
'It seems right… My thoughts are all wrong, and so is my body…'~Vivi,  
  
"Innocence Lost" (awesome FF9 fic by Ivyna J. Spyder! Cheer for her!)  
  
*`*`*`*`*``*  
  
Chapter 13: I'll See You Again  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*  
  
The inner cabin of the airship was crowded and packed with bodies, black mages  
  
pressing up against one another as the airship rocked and turned. The small  
  
mage looked at his comrades, all of them examined one another blankly with a  
  
casual and slightly stupid air. They all knew they were going to slaughter, to kill.  
  
But the smallest mage knew very few if none of the spells his comrades did, but  
  
he did know they would need protection from the humans' weapons, seeing as  
  
leather shirts didn't provide much resistance against swords and sickles. He  
  
knew that much, and not much more.  
  
He raised a hand and summoned up a spell, casting it on every single one of his  
  
allies. A small veil of light seemed to cover each of the mages and then it  
  
vanished. The small mage looked around, feeling slightly drained from the large  
  
spell. He sat down and looked around, his eyes meeting similar, orange tinted  
  
eyes every so often.  
  
The runt allowed his mind to once again go blank, his comrades were protected  
  
and would now be better off on their mission.   
  
The airship jerked to a halt, many of the mages toppled over, falling onto one  
  
another. The door to the cargo hold slowly slid open, two guards staring at them  
  
awestruck. The runt held back the sudden instinct to kill, waiting for orders. So,  
  
they all waited, staring at the awestruck guards for no more than a second when  
  
a familiar voice shouted at them from behind the guards.  
  
"Attack!!!" Ipsen crowed as he leapt from the deck and spread his wings, taking  
  
to the air with an aggressive disposition. "Attack! Leave none alive in your  
  
wake!"  
  
The black mages stampeded out of the cargo hold, burning and trampling the  
  
pathetic guards. Another Lindblum guard called to his companions. "Don't let  
  
them get into town! Claude and Manette! Go into town and warn the people!"  
  
Many of the guards, against orders, fled. This left very little opposition for the  
  
black mages, allowing them to go into the town. Ipsen had already left the  
  
chamber through a window and was beginning to descend towards Lindblum.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
The sky over Lindblum was beginning to grow dark, the sun was setting on the  
  
western horizon. The sunset was a soft pink that blended in perfectly with the  
  
inky darkness of the enveloping night. Vivi sighed as he stood outside the  
  
synthesis shop, watching the sky in awe of its beauty. It had been nearly two  
  
weeks since he had seen his son, and he was still as worried as ever, although  
  
hope was beginning to dwindle. A strong hand gripped Vivi's shoulder and gave  
  
him a firm shake, which was followed by a strong, husky voice.   
  
"You a'right little guy?" said a burly man, releasing Vivi's shoulder. It was his  
  
boss. The man reminded him of Baku in nearly every way, except his face was  
  
always cleanly shaven and hair kept extremely short. Vivi nodded. "By the way,  
  
you been doin' a miracle with the daggers you know? Must be the new hammer,  
  
eh?"  
  
He gave Vivi a playful shove, but the mage simply nodded. "Aw, what's the  
  
matter?" he asked.  
  
"Well, Mr. Adnerson..."  
  
"Whoa, you've been working with me for nine years now! I told you, call me  
  
Gregg!"  
  
"Sorry," Vivi apologized. "It's just, my son is still missing."  
  
"Ah," Gregg sighed. "Dun' worry 'bout it. He'll be fine. I can assure ya."  
  
Vivi nodded. "That's what I've been trying to tell myself, but I..." His sentence  
  
was interrupted by people running toward the entrance of town, screaming. A  
  
few had suitcases and other bags, while other's hands were full with children. "I  
  
wonder what the commotion is."  
  
Gregg nodded. "Aye, come on. Le's ask 'em what they're runnin' from."  
  
"Hey!" Vivi said, waving to one of the people. "What's wro....?"  
  
"Ah! They're here already!" One of them women cried out and broke away from  
  
the pack in a panic. The people screamed and scattered in different directions,  
  
many dropping their things. A Lindblum guard quickly came through the  
  
crowd, holding his sickle high in the air, ready to strike Vivi until Gregg  
  
unsheathed a sword and put it over Vivi's head, guarding him from the blow.  
  
The small mage winced from the sudden and close metallic clank. He trembled  
  
slightly.  
  
"Traitor!" the guard bellowed. "You're in league with them?"  
  
A few people in the crowd stopped and watched, while the rest still headed  
  
toward the exit. "What do ya mean 'them'?!" Gregg shouted back,  
  
his eyebrows furrowed at the guard.  
  
"The black mages! They're attacking and...."  
  
"What?!" Gregg growled. "From Alexandria!?"  
  
The guard shook his head. "No, they don't appear to be FROM anywhere in  
  
particular."  
  
"I see," Gregg nodded. "Well, this little guy isn't one of 'em. He's been living in  
  
Lindblum for nearly 10 years."  
  
The guard eyed Vivi distrustfully. Vivi returned the glare. "How many are  
  
there?" the mage finally asked.  
  
"They said its a group of 50, maybe 60 at most." the guard reported. Gregg  
  
cupped his hand over his mouth.  
  
"That many?!" Gregg said. "What are you planning on doin'?"  
  
"Well, we've sent for help from Burmecia and Cleyra," he said. "But we're using  
  
our guards as best as possible."  
  
"You're gonna need help if there's fifty of these things." Gregg said, putting his  
  
sword away. "You up to it Vivi?"  
  
Vivi nodded. But something bothered him. The black mages needed someone to  
  
tell them what to do. When they attacked almost twenty years ago, the  
  
Alexandrian guards were running alongside them and barking orders. So who  
  
was....?  
  
Before his thoughts could develop any further, a blast of flame exploded in the  
  
middle of the road, killing four people instantly. People screamed and scattered,  
  
flames now beginning to engulf the surrounding buildings. A few of the people,  
  
the few curious and foolish people, looked around for the cause, only finding  
  
Vivi in sight until a shout from an observant old man caught their attention. "Up  
  
there!"  
  
Ipsen flapped in place, staying stationary in the air as he lifted his staff and  
  
commanded a powerful Thundaga spell to the crowd. A wild crack of lightning  
  
peeled through the air and savagely hit the world below, burrowing a deep  
  
groove into the path and killing its half dozen targets. Vivi shook his head.  
  
"Black Waltz No. 3?" he muttered, shaking his head. No, that's impossible, we  
  
defeated him. This black waltz is different....  
  
The airborne mage cackled as his army began running into the square. The air  
  
smelled heavily of burning bodies and was thick with smoke. The waltz dove  
  
down to join the ranks of his army, spreading his wings broadly to land. Vivi  
  
shook his head in disbelief when he saw Ipsen's characteristic white spot on his  
  
left wing.   
  
"Come on Vivi, let's go get 'em!" Gregg said, unsheathing his sword. He noticed  
  
Vivi's confused gaze. "Hey, whatsa matter? You look like you seen a ghost."  
  
Vivi shook his head again. "Come on!"  
  
The small mage snapped out of it and looked to Gregg. "I-I don't kn..."  
  
Their hesitation to get to combat or flee cost them dearly. One of the black mages  
  
aimed a flare spell at them, and hit the two with deadly accuracy. Vivi was able  
  
to stand the blow, but just barely. He looked to Gregg. "Oh my God..."  
  
Gregg's entire front side was charred to crisp. Vivi narrowed his eyes at the black  
  
mage that had attacked them and conjured a Water spell, which killed three of  
  
them from the sudden surge of water, snapping their necks. Ipsen appeared in  
  
front of Vivi in a flash and struck him down with a swift movement of his arm.  
  
He grabbed Vivi up by the collar and lifted him to eye level.  
  
The waltz narrowed his eyes, something holding him back from killing Vivi. He  
  
narrowed his eyes at Ipsen and mustered up the strength to talk. "What are you  
  
doing!?" Vivi scolded. He couldn't say anything else.  
  
Ipsen said nothing, just stared. The black mage before him looked so....familiar.  
  
He knew him...from somewhere. Was he in the cargo ship? No. Before that? Yes,  
  
but where...?  
  
Vivi was growing agitated by Ipsen's silence. Unwilling to finally accept this fact,  
  
he knew what he needed to do, so Vivi raised his hand, preparing a Death spell.  
  
It was the cleanest and most painless spell he knew, but the most effective. Ipsen  
  
shook his head and dropped Vivi, but was still watching him with a bewildered stare. Vivi's spell disipated, the sudden lar destroyed his concentration.  
  
A guard who had snuck up behind Ipsen, unnoticed, raised his sickle-like weapon  
  
and drove it through Ipsen's wing. The guard surprised himself with his own  
  
strength when the weapon brought Ipsen completely down, pinning him by the  
  
wing to the gravel path.   
  
Ipsen tried flapping away, but the blade held him firmly to the ground, his blood  
  
seeping into his feathers and dribbling down the tether. His panicked flapping  
  
became a wild flail as more guards gathered around him, weapons ready. Vivi  
  
was just as terrified, the blade of the sickle had barely missed his arm. The black  
  
mage finally shook himself from the shock and rolled off to the side, not wanting  
  
to get caught in the middle.   
  
Ipsen continued jerking his wing, frenzied with panic as one of the guards finally  
  
approached him, his sickle in the air. The waltz spotted his staff, but it was too  
  
late to reach for the discarded weapon. Even if he conjured a spell without it, it  
  
was still too late, the guard was ready to finally kill him.  
  
No! I can't die now! I must complete my mission! His thoughts race as he  
  
abentmindly awaited the blow. But it never came.   
  
A bright light that burst within the ring of guards and enveloped them with a burning intensity, killing them instantly. Ipsen looked up and examined the spell as it was cast. He knew that spell as Holy, but no one that he considered to be on 'his side' knew it. He looked about and saw the runt stumble over and fall, his eyes growing very dim from using a large spell.   
  
Ipsen didn't have time to put two and two together as he finally calmed himself  
  
down and pried the sickle from the earth, freeing his wing. The appendage was  
  
soaked in blood, the cut was ragged and dirty from the dust and grit of the path.  
  
A wave of dizziness and heat passed him over, leaving the waltz alittle  
  
lightheaded. He stood up and grabbed his staff. He had to carry out his mission.   
  
But my wing. A voice pleaded. It's damaged. The mages are injured and many  
  
are being killed. Withdraw now.  
  
He shook his head at his internal monologue. "No, we still need to..."  
  
Another flash of heat and dizziness. Ipsen could feel his legs shaking from the  
  
combination of blood loss and the beginnings of an infection in his wing.   
  
The waltz looked about. The streets were nearly clear of the living, only corpses  
  
littered the paths while black mages continued their destruction of the town. The  
  
humans screams had died down, many of them silenced through their slaughter.  
  
But then he spotted another human on the street. It was a girl with a horn and an  
  
unusual outfit of pink pants and a yellow sweater. Vivi stood next to her.   
  
"It's Ipsen," Vivi told her, pointing to the injured waltz. "Eiko, please. If you're  
  
going to kill them...."  
  
Eiko shook her head.   
  
"Retreat!" Ipsen barked at all the black mages within earshot. He caught sight of  
  
the runt, his arm extended and pointed at Ipsen. Before the waltz could do  
  
anything, a spell left its hand. Ipsen winced when he expected to be hit with a  
  
painful spell, but instead was relieved of much of the pain in his wing. The runt  
  
fell to the ground with a thump. Ipsen looked around.  
  
"Vivi! No we can't let them get away with this!" Eiko shouted at Vivi as he held  
  
her back.  
  
"They're retreating, let them go!" Vivi scolded defensively. He couldn't describe  
  
the feeling of betrayal and loyalty he felt between both sides.   
  
Eiko shouted something very offensive at him and the retreating black mages,  
  
until Vivi cast a Sleep spell on her. He couldn't believe what he was doing, letting  
  
them all get away with this. It was too late now, Ipsen was the only member of  
  
the army that remained.  
  
Ipsen growled and thought their retreat was a show of weakness. But they still  
  
went at that moment, with no opposition from the black mage and summoner.  
  
As he walked down the gravel path, Ipsen noticed the runt laying in a small  
  
heap, not moving. Ipsen suddenly felt a pang of emotion that was very  
  
unfamiliar and stooped down near the small mage. He checked to see if it was  
  
breathing. It was. Ipsen looked it over, thinking to himself. Perhaps I should  
  
bring him back. He saved my life....  
  
But another part of his mind snapped and reminded him of his superiority over  
  
the black mages, how they were nothing more than identical golems. Ipsen  
  
shook his head and noticed Vivi was still watching him, holding a slumbering  
  
Eiko in his arms. His feathers bristled as he scooped up the small mage, partly  
  
from Vivi's staring, partly from surprise at his own actions of deciding to bring  
  
the runt back.  
  
No, this one's different. He told himself with a slight, beaming attitude. This  
  
mage is different than the rest, like me. Ipsen nodded and felt something of an  
  
attachment to the runt as he began leaving the city.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Author's Note: Merry Christmas! 


	14. Moogle Post

Disclaimer: I no own, you no sue.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Author's Note: Eh, this chapter is probably going to be a little rough around the  
  
edges if not downright horrible. I'm kinda....you know....I don't. Meh. I apologize  
  
if Eiko seems a little bit out of character, I'm tired.  
  
~NeoNaoNeo  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Chapter 14: Moogle Post  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
"We just want to make movies, not kill things."~'The Simpsons'  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
The sky was lit with the ill colors of spreading flames, most of the city was in  
  
ruins. The survivors took out their frustration on the bodies of slain and injured  
  
black mages. A few of them decided to do something helpful and began bringing  
  
their family and fellow townspeople into homes, inns and pubs in order to treat  
  
their wounds. Eiko woke up a few moments later from the weak sleep inducing  
  
spell, realizing all the black mages had gone, including Ipsen.   
  
Eiko narrowed her eyes at Vivi as he absentmindedly looked down the path. The  
  
girl couldn't control her emotions as she looked about, buildings on fire and  
  
people laying in rotting heaps. Vivi stopped her from getting rid of the black  
  
mages. She could have evened things out, made the black mages pay for the  
  
blood they spilt.  
  
"You just don't get it, do you?" Eiko snapped at Vivi. "They are our enemies. We  
  
should have gotten them when we had the chance. YOU should have gotten  
  
them when you had the chance."  
  
"Eiko, it wouldn't have changed anything, th...."  
  
His statement was cut off when Eiko slapped him across the face without a word.  
  
She couldn't believe she used to have a crush on this treasonous little bastard. "I  
  
can't believe you! Hundreds of innocent people were killed because..."  
  
Vivi was taken back by Eiko's sudden smack, but at the same time angered and  
  
emboldened. "Because I didn't do anything!? One black mage versus sixty, those  
  
sound like some goddamn good odds to me!" He finally shouted at Eiko, tears  
  
starting to well up in his eyes.  
  
Eiko bit her lip. "I'm sorry Vivi, it's just such a shock."  
  
Vivi looked up to her. "I know." Vivi replied with a sorrowful nod. Eiko crossed  
  
her arms, knowing it was ten times worse for Vivi than her. His only son was the  
  
leader of that army, so she felt herself unable to blame Vivi for his actions and  
  
pushed off her anger.  
  
"Hey, look." Vivi said, pointing to a pile of bodies. Something moved, but its  
  
efforts were stifled by the dead weight of the corpses on top of it. "Someone's  
  
alive in there!"  
  
"Come on," Eiko said, running for the pile, Vivi chasing after.  
  
The two worked together as they pulled off bodies, human and black mage alike,  
  
from the pile and set them gently on the ground. Some of the townspeople were  
  
gathering around, many willing to offer help to the wounded. But many  
  
withdrew when a live black mage fell from the pile, choking and gasping for air.  
  
Their offers of help turned to angry clamoring and curses.  
  
Before Vivi could get a word in, Eiko snapped at the crowd. "Get outta here you  
  
vultures!" Eiko shouted, narrowing her eyes. "If you just came here for revenge  
  
go look somewhere else!"  
  
Vivi couldn't help but laugh at how fast Eiko had changed her attitude. The black  
  
mage was still laying on the ground, his eyes were barely open.  
  
"Are you okay?" Vivi asked, kneeling down by the black mage's side. The mage  
  
coughed and shook his head.  
  
"Can you talk?"  
  
The black mage muttered something unintelligible, then responded, "...yes."  
  
"What hurts?" Vivi continued.  
  
"...everything..." it responded. "But my arm is the most damaged."  
  
Vivi examined the arm it lifted up slightly. The bone was broken, but nothing  
  
major. "It's just a fracture." Vivi reported. "We'll take you to the doctor and..."  
  
"No we won't," Eiko said, looking at the ground.  
  
"Why not?" Vivi asked.  
  
She jerked her head at the pile. The doctor's arm was completely severed and  
  
face black from frostbite. Vivi gasped at the horrific sight and looked back to the  
  
black mage.  
  
"My house isn't too far from here," Vivi said. Eiko nodded.  
  
"Can you walk?" Eiko asked.  
  
The black mage nodded and slowly got to his feet. With help from Eiko, the  
  
mage hobbled along, its arm hanging down limply.  
  
"What's your name?" Vivi asked.  
  
The mage thought a moment, then responded, "617."  
  
Vivi nodded, knowing that most of the black mages went by numbers. "I'm Vivi  
  
and this is Eiko."  
  
"Okay," Mr. 617 timidly acknowledged. "Are we going to Lindblum?"  
  
"What?" Vivi asked, confused by this statement.  
  
"Are we going to Lindblum?" Mr. 617 repeated, more quietly than the last time.  
  
"We're in Lindblum." Eiko told him as they went through the doorway to Vivi's  
  
house.  
  
"Oh, so we're going to Burmecia now?" the black mage asked timidly.  
  
Vivi shook his head. "No, we're going to stay here and fix your arm."  
  
"Why do you ask?" Eiko questioned.  
  
"He said we were going to Burmecia," Mr. 617 muttered.  
  
"Who did?"  
  
The black mage didn't respond.  
  
"Who did?" Eiko repeated.  
  
"..."  
  
"Well?" Vivi pried.  
  
"...I don't know..." Mr. 617 finally answered.  
  
Vivi shook his head and looked at Eiko. "Do you think that they're heading to  
  
Burmecia?"  
  
Eiko nodded. "It's worth a shot to check it out." The summoner cast a healing  
  
spell on Mr. 617's arm as she finished wrapping it up. "There, it shouldn't hurt as  
  
much anymore. Now you get some rest. Vivi and I have to go, will you be all  
  
right by yourself?"  
  
Mr. 617 nodded. Eiko patted his arm and turned to Vivi. "Okay, let's go."  
  
As she began walking out the door, Vivi called out. "Wait, don't you think we  
  
should tell Garnet and Zidane?"  
  
Eiko shook her head. "No, even if we send a moogle now, it won't get there until  
  
morning."  
  
"Are you sure it's wise for just us to go?"  
  
Eiko laughed and shook her head. "Nope! But when have we ever done anything  
  
wise?"  
  
Despite the atmosphere, Vivi cracked a smile and chuckled to himself as they  
  
headed toward the Lindblum Grand Castle.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
"Kupo!"  
  
"Why thank you," Robin said, taking the oversized letter from an undersized  
  
mail moogle as she sat in a large chair in the library. She patted the small  
  
creature on its head and offered it a biscuit, not questioning how it even got into  
  
the castle. "Clever little thing, aren't you?" Robin said as the moogle began eating  
  
its treat.  
  
"Kupo!" it replied and stretched its wings. With one more 'kupo', the moogle  
  
fluttered its wings and took to the air. Robin chuckled and brushed a short hair  
  
out of her face. Her horn was still quite small, only a few inches long. Robin  
  
smiled as Zidane walked into the room, Garnet beside him.  
  
"Whatcha doing?" Zidane asked and ruffled her hair.  
  
"Well, a little moogle just brought me a letter," Robin shrugged and began  
  
tearing the envelope. "Oh, look. It's addressed to you and mom."  
  
She passed the letter off to Zidane. "Huh, that's weird." Zidane admitted and  
  
began reading the letter out loud.  
  
Dear Garnet and Zidane,  
  
Lindblum has just been attacked by an army of black mages! We found a live one  
  
and figured that they're heading to Burmecia. Vivi and I are helping out here, so  
  
we need you to help Freya in our place. Be careful though!  
  
Signed,  
  
Princess Eiko  
  
P.S. Don't worry about us, we're fine.   
  
"What are we going to do?" Garnet asked Zidane urgently.   
  
"I don't know," Zidane shrugged. This letter seemed awfully suspicious in his  
  
mind.  
  
"We have to go! If Freya needs our help," Robin said, putting a hand on the hilt  
  
of her sword.  
  
"I agree," Zidane said. "They're gonna need all the help they can get. Robin,  
  
Garnet, come on, we're taking the Red Rose."  
  
Garnet bit her lip and nodded, Robin's face lit up in smile as she punched the air  
  
in a boisterous fashion. "Alright, let's go kick some as---" Robin started out, but  
  
corrected herself. "Butt."  
  
Zidane laughed and ruffled her short, golden blonde hair. Garnet shook her head  
  
as they all went to the airship dock.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`*  
  
Ooh! I thought Vivi and Eiko said they weren't going to send them a letter! Maybe it's not from them, ooooooohhh.....spooky!!! 


	15. Humanity

Disclaimer: I no own, you no sue.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Author's Note: Okay, this is a cutey-wutey chapter, so if the warm fuzzy feelings  
  
and hope for Ipsen are what you've come looking for in this story, this is chapter  
  
you'll find it!   
  
Oh! And The Random Monkey, I have read your fic 'Being' and am looking foward to updates! And to answer your questions! As for the why I still call him Ipsen if he's all....spooky. I dunno! I think it's because I'm too lazy to change my...eh...typingness...that's not even a word. I'm trying to break myself of that adjective habit and I know I should read it over a few times before uploading the chapter. I apologize for that.   
  
As for where Kuja's gettin' everything...eh...a genie! Just kidding. Well, in the game, he's rich and Kuja is a pretty dang detirmine beaver. The black mages came from Dali, as they did in the game. That's why Ipsen had to go back and revive Soul Cage so there would be Mist to make them. Perhaps I'm being over-analytical, but heck, it's over-analyzing that makes this world go round! Or is it good manners?  
  
~NeoNaoNeo  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
"I've been having these weird thoughts lately, like is any of this for real? Or not?"  
  
Sora, "Kingdom Hearts"  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Chapter 15: Humanity  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
The cool summer night's darkness pressed around the soulless army as they  
  
marched over the plains outside Burmecia, all keeping a brisk, uniform pace  
  
despite their wounds and fatigue. Ipsen looked up to the starless, moonless sky  
  
which was overcast from their recent destructive accomplishment.   
  
A cool, refreshing breeze picked up and rustled past them, causing the waltz to  
  
spread his wings longingly. His right wing was hanging pathetically limp on his  
  
side, the wound was swollen and still slightly bleeding, although now it was also  
  
oozing a clear substance, indicating an oncoming infection. Ipsen drew his wings onto his back, the wounded one feeling stiff and sore. As he continued following the others, the waltz stumbled and faltered, feeling lightheaded and hot. He nearly dropped the small mage in his arms, but managed tightened his grip and secure the runt.  
  
"All of you!" Ipsen barked at the mages. "We'll r-rest here until morning."  
  
The black mages broke away from one another and sat down in a disjointed  
  
circle, easily falling asleep. Ipsen adjusted the runt in his arms, accidentally  
  
jarring it awake. The small mage stretched and opened its glowing eyes,  
  
watching Ipsen. It wheezed and coughed, startling its guardian.  
  
"Are you all right, you little runt?" Ipsen said, feeling an uncharacteristic pang of  
  
compassion for the small mage, despite his slight mocking. The small mage  
  
nodded and clung to his shirt. The mage looked away from Ipsen's feathered  
  
collar and to his wing. It pointed, looked up to Ipsen and nodded quizzingly.  
  
"What?" Ipsen asked, feeling woozy and ill.  
  
The small mage gave another cough and pried itself from Ipsen's arms. It then  
  
found a small puddle nearby, rainstorms being common this close to Burmecia  
  
and cupped its hands to scoop up some muddy water. Ipsen continued  
  
watching, consciousness beginning to slip away from him. The small mage gave  
  
a startled noise and splashed the water on Ipsen's face.  
  
The waltz jolted awake, spreading his wings indignantly. "You little, who do you  
  
think you are!?" Ipsen growled, bristling his feathers. The small mage wasn't  
  
intimidated, as he held up two fingers, followed by an eight, then a nine. "Can't  
  
you talk?"  
  
The small mage nodded and began examining Ipsen's bloody wing again. "Well,  
  
why don't you?"   
  
"...it hurts...." the small mage croaked in a high pitched, nearly unintelligible,  
  
voice.   
  
"Why?" Ipsen asked.  
  
The small mage pointed up to the sky and covered his mouth as he gave another  
  
whooping cough. "The sky?" Ipsen asked.  
  
289 shook his head and held out his hand, conjuring a small, cold flame. "Oh, the  
  
smoke." Ipsen nodded.  
  
The small mage nodded weakly. "Are you okay?" he asked.  
  
289 shook his head and lifted up his arm, showing a deep gash. Ipsen looked to  
  
his wound and back to the small mage. "I think there's a river nearby. Come on."  
  
Ipsen propped himself up with his staff and began walking westward, away  
  
from Burmecia. 289 toddled after quickly, tripping over his own feet quite  
  
frequently as Ipsen hobbled along, barely able to support himself. The small  
  
mage tugged on Ipsen's coat and pointed to his wing.  
  
"What is it?" the waltz grumbled, now becoming a little annoyed by the silent  
  
runt's enigmatic attitude. The small mage pointed at Ipsen's wing and cocked his  
  
head to one side. Ipsen shook his head "I don't know what you're trying to say...."  
  
"...I fix....?" the small mage managed to choke out between coughs. Ipsen  
  
chuckled, now slightly shaking from weakness.  
  
"No, I-I think I'll be fine," Ipsen said. "C-come on, the river's this way."  
  
Ipsen continued leading the way, navigating expertly over the plains completely  
  
by instinct, as though he had been there before. No, that's impossible. Isn't it?  
  
Ipsen shook his head. 289 was watching him curiously. Ipsen stumbled again and  
  
nearly fell. The small, shallow stream below ran steadily and quietly. A memory  
  
violently sprung up in the back of Ipsen's mind.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
((one year ago))  
  
Robin sat by the edge of the stream, the white moonlight washing over her face  
  
and short hair, her horn seemed to glow in the outlandish illumination. Ipsen, his  
  
comical, clumsy clothing looked to be a uniform blue, descended his short flight and gracefully landed next to her, his large wings still outspread. Robin giggled and dipped her chocolate brown tail into the stream, the ripples reflecting the dazzling blood red and milky white colors of the twin moons.   
  
"I'm glad we went all this way," Robin said and threw a stone into the stream.  
  
"It's really pretty."  
  
Ipsen nodded. "Yeah, but usually the fireflies are out this time of year." he  
  
admitted and looked about.  
  
Robin sighed and laid down on the pebbly shore. "Hey Ipsen?"   
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Have you found a girl friend yet?"  
  
Ipsen shook his head.  
  
"Don't tell me you like a girl and are too shy to ask 'er out."  
  
Ipsen bit his lip. "Like father, like son." he chuckled.  
  
"No way, is there someone you like?"  
  
The small waltz shook his head, his floppy hat slipped down his forehead and  
  
over his eyes. "No, not at all."  
  
"Oh right!" Robin laughed and gave him a playful shove. Ipsen returned the  
  
push. Robin giggled and knocked him over, pinning him on the ground.  
  
"No fair!" Ipsen squeaked and desperately flapped his wings against Robin's  
  
weight.   
  
Robin put on a childish grin. "Too bad!"  
  
"Oh yeah!?" Ipsen said. He quickly teleported behind Robin and landed on her  
  
back. She laughed. The poor waltz was no where near heavy nor big enough to  
  
knock Robin over, let alone pin her. But Robin fell to the ground to humor him  
  
and pretended to struggle under Ipsen's light weight.  
  
"You're crushing my lungs!" she joked.  
  
Ipsen laughed and rolled off. "Maybe for our sixteenth birthday, hm?" Ipsen  
  
shrugged.  
  
"Hey, alot stuff can kick in in a year." Robin joked and shook Ipsen playfully by  
  
the shoulder.  
  
"Hm," Ipsen grunted and threw a rock into the water. "Maybe."  
  
The two sighed at the same moment and looked up to the starlit sky. They broke  
  
out into laughter, shouting jinxes on one another between fits of giggles.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
"...wake up...please..." 289 quietly pleaded, nudging Ipsen by the shoulder.  
  
"...ugh..." the waltz moaned and found himself laying on the ground, his cheek  
  
cold from the wet pebbles near the river's edge. He looked to the runt weakly.  
  
"Wha-what happened?"  
  
The runt pointed to Ipsen and closed his eyes, allowing himself to fall on the  
  
ground. Ipsen lifted himself up and inspected himself, noticing green fabric  
  
wrapped around his torn wing in a crude bandage. Ipsen looked to 289, feeling a  
  
mixture of anger and embarrassment. A black mage soldier had outlasted him, a  
  
black waltz! Ipsen's feathers once again bristled. A thought to teach it a lesson  
  
crossed his mind and became the predominant notion.  
  
"..please, wait." 289 requested and lifted his hand. Ipsen paused, surprised. The  
  
small mage muttered an incantation and a soothing coolness eased the pain of  
  
his burning wound.   
  
"How did you do that?" the waltz asked, but 289 fell over, exhausted. Ipsen  
  
shook his head and grinned. "Thank you." he muttered somewhat  
  
contemptuously, but still lifted 289 into his lap as he sat by the stream, thinking  
  
about the peculiar dream he had. Ipsen looked at the small mage's arm and drew  
  
back, the deep gash that he had just showed Ipsen was almost completely closed  
  
and rapidly healing.   
  
"A white mage, hm?" Ipsen nodded. "That's useful."  
  
The waltz leaned against a nearby rock, his eyelids growing heavy. Something  
  
about having the small mage curled against his body, both depending on one  
  
another for warmth in the cold night. Ipsen yawned and put his good wing over  
  
shoulder, slightly covering 289. The small mage stirred slightly and clung to his  
  
coat. Ipsen smiled and pulled his hat down.  
  
"Wait 'til tomorrow runt," Ipsen sighed and slipped into an exhausted and  
  
blissful sleep.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Author's Note: AWWWWW!!!! See, there's hope for Ipsen yet! *huggles Ipsen*  
  
awwww!!!!  
  
Ipsen: Ah! Get her off!  
  
Orko: Oh, jeez. You should see her on Tuesdays!  
  
Randall: Yeah, she's usually knocked up on Cherry Coke, Ice Cream and apple  
  
danishes.  
  
Ipsen: My god!  
  
o_O Eh, yeah. Anyhoo, I really appreciate all the review I've been recently  
  
getting. This is the most reviews I've gotten on any story....well...this is also the  
  
longest story I've ever made and the closest I've ever gotten to the end.  
  
Remember, we hit 25 and I'll type out the little first person rant/jumbled mass of  
  
confused words on my sketchbook having to with this story.   
  
So, have fun!  
  
~NeoNaoNeo 


	16. Easier to Forget

Disclaimer: I no own, you no sue.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Author's Note: LAST CHAPTER!!! Please don't kill me for the ending. It's a cliffhanger....but if I don't end here, I won't have enough material for a sequel and I continue with this story....trust me, I've typed it already and it pretty much sucks if I try working it into this. So please, don't throw flaming things at my head!  
  
  
  
~NeoNaoNeo  
  
*`*`*`*`*`  
  
"Water sucks, it really really sucks! WAAATER SUCKS! IT REALLY REALLY  
  
SUCKS!"~ 'Waterboy'  
  
*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Chapter 16: Easier to Forget  
  
*`*`*`*`*`  
  
The sunrise was a blood red on the morning of the black mages' planned attack  
  
on Burmecia. The ripples on the shallow clear stream reflected the scarlet color.  
  
Ipsen lazily awoke at the first sign of light, 289 still slumbering peacefully in his  
  
lap. The waltz nudged him awake. "Come on," Ipsen whispered. "Get up. We're...  
  
hello... what's this?"  
  
Ipsen picked up an envelope that lay near his arm and examined it. 289 released  
  
his grip on Ipsen and sat up, rubbing his dully glowing eyes. "...What is it?" the  
  
small mage asked, his high pitched voice sounding much stronger and bolder  
  
than the day before.   
  
Ipsen ignored him and tore the envelope open, removing the letter. The waltz  
  
read it over.  
  
'I want you in Burmecia by mid-morning. And, because of your mistake with  
  
Mikoto, I want you to capture a girl by the name of Robin for me.'  
  
"Robin...?" Ipsen whispered to himself.   
  
'She is sixteen years old. She has a tail and a horn, with short brownish blonde  
  
hair.'  
  
It was a perfect description of the girl from his dream. Maybe the other mage  
  
with wings was him, but how? What....?  
  
'Don't fail me Four. She will be there with at least four others. After you lead the  
  
black mages into Burmecia and capture the girl, you are to bring her to Ice  
  
Cavern. I've included a map, just in case you have a sudden mind lapse.  
  
Kuja'  
  
There was a PS, but it was written in red, smudging ink.  
  
'PS Don't go soft on me. You're superior to the black mages, even to that runt.'  
  
Ipsen crumpled up the letter and tossed it in the stream, slightly flustered by the  
  
post script. 289 was still snuggled against Ipsen for warmth, his eyes starting to  
  
close again.  
  
"Come on, wake up," Ipsen ordered and jarred the small mage awake. 289  
  
narrowed his eyes slightly, but lightened his stare and hopped from Ipsen's lap.  
  
The waltz spread his wings in a long stretch, raising his arms high over his head  
  
and standing on tip-toe. He loosened himself back into his usual stance and  
  
realized his wing hadn't given him any trouble.  
  
He undid the bandage and examined the wound. Quite miraculously, the gash  
  
was almost completely healed, although many of his feathers were still caked in  
  
dried blood. 289 smiled at Ipsen's surprised reaction.  
  
"...I used a healing spell before I bandaged it," 289 explained quietly.  
  
"I noticed," Ipsen grunted and spread his wings. He hated to admit it, but this  
  
small mage had once again saved his hide. "Thank you. I owe you one."  
  
"...No, I only did what I felt appropriate." the small mage murmured with a  
  
wistful tone.  
  
"Come on, we need to get to Burmecia," Ipsen said, lightly grabbing 289's wrist.  
  
The two teleported to where the other mages were camping. Many of them were  
  
awake, staring blankly into space.  
  
"..to do what?" 289 asked naively.  
  
"We're going there to kill the lot of them," Ipsen laughed. 289's eyes widened.  
  
"...Why?"  
  
Ipsen thought a moment. "That's what we're made for, we exist to kill." Ipsen  
  
said stoutly. "You too."  
  
"...no," 289 said. "Not me....not you either...or them."  
  
"What do you mean?" Ipsen growled.  
  
"...I won't kill...."  
  
"Fine," Ipsen said, opening his wings. "You can fend for yourself, runt."  
  
289 swallowed.  
  
Ipsen shrugged and began walking towards the other black mages. 289  
  
whimpered slightly, knowing he wouldn't last very long by himself out in the  
  
wilderness. He began toddling after Ipsen slowly, somewhat ashamed of himself.  
  
The waltz turned around as the other black mages began to pick up their brisk  
  
pace once again, although fatigue and exhaustion from their previous endeavor stayed with them, magically and physically.  
  
Ipsen narrowed his eyes at 289, somewhat amused. "You choose what you  
  
wanted," Ipsen snarled at the runt and a strip of lightning struck right in front of  
  
the small mage's face. 289 fell backwards with a frightened squeak. Ipsen  
  
laughed. "Perhaps you should choose a little more wisely and not let emotions  
  
get in your way little one. I haven't. Only the strong survive, perhaps you'll learn  
  
that better out here than with us."  
  
"....fine, be one of them...." 289 muttered contemptuously. "...fulfill your empty purpose..."  
  
Ipsen had already spread his wings and was coasting over the black mage army  
  
as they trampled over the field.  
  
(A/N: Just when you start to like him again, Ipsen goes and has a butthole  
  
relapse. *Eight Crazy Nights quote for non-Adam Sandler people*  
  
*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Freya watched as the bloody sun rose from a high perch atop a bell tower. Robin,  
  
Zidane, Steiner, and Garnet sat at the bottom. Eiko and Vivi walked toward the  
  
group, both holding their weapons high.  
  
"Vivi? Eiko?" Zidane asked and looked to the two magicians. "I thought you two  
  
were helping with the clean-up in Lindblum."  
  
"What gave you that idea?" Eiko giggled.  
  
"The letter you sent," Garnet said.  
  
"We...didn't send a letter." Vivi said.  
  
"Yes, you did," Zidane said looking from Garnet to Vivi and Eiko.  
  
Eiko shook her head. "Nope, we didn't."  
  
"Huh, that's weird," Zidane said. "I wonder who..."  
  
"They're here!" Freya called from the steeple and jumped down, landing with a  
  
soft thump. "Ready arms!" She shouted to the ready Dragon Knights.  
  
Vivi, Eiko, Zidane, Robin, Steiner and Garnet held up their weapons, ready to  
  
fight as the black mages began pouring into the streets. Burmecians who weren't  
  
fighting ran into their homes and those who were charged at the army with a  
  
shout.   
  
Ipsen flapped over the clash over the army, scanning the crowd for his target, the  
  
girl. He saw her attacking a soldier with her dagger. Ipsen swooped down and  
  
knocked her over. Robin fell to the ground with a grunt and she quickly hopped  
  
to her feet. "Cheap shot!" she scolded. Her eyes opened in horror when she  
  
realized who the waltz was. "....Ipsen...?"  
  
That name....it was so familiar, was it his. Yes, she called that mage in the dream Ipsen, maybe....  
  
No! I am Black Waltz Number Four! Kuja said so!   
  
What if Kuja was wrong?  
  
No! He's not! He....  
  
Remember! Try to remember!  
  
It's easier to forget. Sometimes....it's just easier to forget.  
  
No, remember!  
  
His internal argument came to an abrupt end.  
  
"I'm Black Waltz No. 4," he snarled and shoved Robin down again. His once kind yellow eyes glittered at her ferociously like two fire embers.  
  
"Ipsen!" Robin said as the waltz closed in on her, but didn't continue. He ignored her and leaned over, grabbing her by the collar. Robin bit her lip. "Damn it! Remember!"  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Remember? Remember what?  
  
Everything! Remember everything!   
  
...why?  
  
For her.  
  
For...her...?  
  
Yes.  
  
But...Kuja?  
  
No! Forget Kuja! Like you did her!  
  
Remember her....?  
  
Yes.  
  
Remember...  
  
Who?  
  
Remember her.  
  
Her?  
  
Robin.  
  
Yes, Robin.  
  
Why?  
  
Because...friends don't forget friends.  
  
Friends?  
  
Yes, friends.....  
  
*`*`*`*`*`*`  
  
"Ipsen, come on." Robin whimpered, holding the unconscious waltz in her arms as best she could. Freya walked up to her, laughing.  
  
"We did it, we fended off the mages," the Burmecian sighed and noticed Robin, cradling Ipsen. "Robin....I'm sorry."  
  
"He's not dead, he's still breathing," Robin snapped. "Help me get him to the church."  
  
Freya was quite offended by Robin's sudden agressive attitude. "Robin, the church is being used to care for the wounded...."  
  
"Yes, he's wounded. So are the Black Mages," Robin retorted. "They should be allowed in there too."  
  
"What!? No, that's too dangerous," Freya scolded. "If they were to awake in there and...."  
  
"I'll cast Silence on every mage you take in, that way they'll be harmless," Robin suggested.  
  
"But what's the point then?" Freya said.  
  
"We can't just leave them out here. Remember the black mages at the Black Mage Village?"  
  
Freya nodded, not looking up at the princess.  
  
"All of them were used as weapons, like these mages. And they woke up," Robin mused absentmindly, now stroking the delicate feathers that surrounded Ipsen's neck. "How do you know these mages won't? Just give them a chance Freya."  
  
"Look out!" Freya said and pointed to Ipsen as his eyes opened slowly. She raised her weapon, ready to attack.  
  
"Wait," Robin said, looking up to the Burmecian. His eyes had returned to their original, dreamy yellow color. The waltz reached up and touched Robin's cheek.  
  
"....Robin..." he muttered with a smile and then slumped in her arms again, slipping back to unconsciousness.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`  
  
Author's Note: THE END!!!   
  
Whooo!!! Whooo!....uh...WHOO!!! Cliffhanger ending, I know, please don't...you know....kill me or anything. One problem solved...but the question still remains....is Kuja gonna kill everybody!? AHHH AHH AH! *giggles insanely* But thank you to everyone that has reviewed and especially people who have actually IMed me! Especially..... 


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